Making and Using a ShuttleMake every cut a controlled cut avoiding costly time and material losses or rework when your cut didn't come out right. The following photographs show how to make and use a Trolley Shuttle to cut mortises in a pedestal column and its base. A shuttle is essentially any surface or structure on which is mounted a rail section to guide a circular saw or router trolley to perform an operation. The mortise shuttle strattles the workpiece and and enables precise positioning of the mortising router bit. Use a Rail Stops on the rail to limit the length of the miter cut. Time and accuracy are preserved as we accomplished each cut in less than one-minute. Follow the photo sequence to see how to make a shuttle and click on the video link to see the actual cutting of the mortises. |
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| Pieces needed: 9x20" Masonite top, three 1x3x24" slats, one 30" rail section | Nail the top onto one slat along an edge of the masonite. |
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| Quick clamp a second slat across the diameter of the post. | Nail the Top to the second slat |
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| Add a third slat that will support the guide rail | Clamp a reference block under the shuttle top that will rest against the end of the workpiece to fix the starting point of each cut. |
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| Attach the guide rail to the far edge of the Masonite top with one screw placed on the right end and temporarily clamp the other end to the masonite top. Cut a slot the length of the desired mortise in the Masonite top along the centerline of the post | Draw a centerline on the post the length of the desired mortise cut and place the shuttle on the post with the reference block touching the end of the post. Adjust the mounting plate of the Router Trolley so that the cutter is centered over the centerline. |
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| Slide the Router Trolley along the length of the line to ensure that the cutter remains in alignment along the full length of the cut. Make any required adjustment by sliding the end of the guide rail that was clamped to the Masonite top. Clamp or screw the guide rail to the masonite top. | Clamp the workpiece to the workbench to keep it from moving while the cut is being made. |
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Clamp starting and stopping blocks to the guide rail to fix the length of cut. |
16 Mortises cut in 10 minutes time |
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Modifying the shuttle to fit over podium base. |
Dry Fitting braces in mortices |
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Center section of shuttle slats cut to accommodate the cross-shaped base |
Shuttle placed over base |
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Shuttle and base clamped to the workbench |
Route the mortises |
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Mortises cut in base. |
Base with supports attached using mortised and tenon joints |
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Clean, tight fitting joints. Click HERE to see a short video segment demonstrating the mortises being cut. The shuttles fix the position and length of the mortises resulting in 16 mortises cut in 10 minutes time with each cut being a duplicate of the first cut. |
Finished Podium Base |
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Examples of other Circular Saw Shuttles |
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Miter Shuttle set up to cut the mitered sides of a mitered mortise & tenon joint |
Cutting a dado across the end of a board |
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Mitered sides cut using a Miter Trolley |
Miter Shuttle placed on the end of a board to miter an inset for a bed frame bracket |
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| Cutting a mortise using a mortise shuttle | Dados cut across the end of two boards |
Universal Tool Trolley Precision Cutting System800-524-1138 www.tooltrolley.com |
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