In a message dated 11/19/98
 11:<BR03:<BR24 PM Central Standard T, [log in to unmask] writes:> Re:
Box slides and jacks
 
I hesitate to mention this, but It *does* add another dimension to the
process.
 
On the Italianate I made about 1973, I faced all those angled mortises with a
great deal of dread. Eventually, I came up with a solution which seemed
perfect at the time. I set up a Bridgeport mill with an end mill just the
width I wanted the "mortise slots" and with the head angled to the gap angle.
I clamped up a batten of beech, and proceeded to run the slots, just turning
the handle the required number of thou. (string spacing) after each. When all
the slots were in, a quick pass with a chisel broke the edges with a nice
little chamfer.
 
I had intended to glue a batten over the open end of each register "comb" to
close the mortise, but then reasoned that there was no reason that the slots
*had* to be mortises. I just placed them in the gap with the open ends of the
"comb" faced each other and slipped in a double thickness batten which floated
between the combs and established the other end of the jack "mortises". The
clearances required to allow movement of the slides was just about correct for
side clearance on the jacks.
 
It was not very historic in either its method of manufacture, or its
installation, but it worked just fine. Still does, I expect.
 
I must say that I'd do it again, if I had a box register to make, possibly
this time, putting on the cap battens just for historicity.
 
Cheers/Carron