Mahjong wooden rack out of one solid piece of wood

allen levine

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I know this is an oddball request, but my wife and a group of her friends began learning and playing recently, and Id like to make her wooden racks for the tiles(instead of plastic, and I know I can purchase wooden racks for 20 bucks for 4, but I want to make it for her as a gift)
If you look at any rack(nothing to hold chips, just a straight 18 inch tile holder), can someone please help me with the cuts I need for the shape, and in which order I would cut them. Im a bit puzzled by it, and I want to do it with one solid piece, no glueups.
Any help would be appreciated, but please understand I have a limited number of router bits, would be willing to purchase, but would prefer to do it all on table saw.(if possible.)
 
This is a business card holder I make. I put them in antique store with my cards so that potential clients can get ahold of me.bisiness card holder.jpg
I take a block of wood (in this case maple) or any scraps I have laying around. Take the block and use a dado blade to cut the center, Turn it on ot's side and cut away the front to the depth I want, round off the corners. Sand, Finish and wah la instant business card holder.
 
Is this what we're talking about Allen? allenmajong1.jpgallenmajong2.jpg

You ask about making it out of one piece which could be done but seems awkward. An angled dado down the length at about 5* and then inserting a strip with one 5* edge (into the dado ) and one 90* edge would be quick and easy. You could even mix woods that way.

It could get hairy but you could do this on the table saw. Please make sure the released pieces are not captured between your keeper and the fence. that is; the spoil should fall free to the opposite side of the blade from the fence:
 

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I drew out on the edge of a piece of 20 inch 2x4, what I wanted, looked at what glenn put as cutting, and gave it a shot. Its pretty close to what she wants, the only thing is she wants a curved lip in front of the tile rack holder shelf, and I have no clue whatsoever how to cut a curve in there.(the average tile is 1 and 3/16 by 7/8 by 1/2 inch thick, so I made two out of 1/2 inch ply for sizing purposes)
 

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allen is the edge your wanting to be rounded? if so then get a round style chamfer tool or just sand the edge round by hand with a block that is the shape you want with sand paper in it..personally i would just hand sand it to where i wanted it..
tn_allens edge.jpg
 
Looking good Allen I made a few of those for my neighbor who works at a seniors complex. They have a group that are right into that game. I made them similar to what you have. Maybe you could glue a couple of small peices to it that have a curve in it. Just a thought.
 
The side profile on top is what I got, the one on the bottom is what she really wants. ARe there small planes that I can curve the top off with?
I can probably cut an additional piece with a curved profile on the top and glue it to the front if I need that piece. Any input would be appreciated.
 

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The side profile on top is what I got, the one on the bottom is what she really wants. ARe there small planes that I can curve the top off with?
I can probably cut an additional piece with a curved profile on the top and glue it to the front if I need that piece. Any input would be appreciated.

The ones that I made had no lip on them and they were happy as clams to get them. They told me that they worked great. I Guess if they really want a lip on you could make a plane up just for that one specific application or Glue a small rounded over sliver onto it. The glue would be easier and faster I would think. But the plane would be something you would add to your tool box for all the rest of the ones that you will be doing once word gets around how great a job that you did with these. :D
 
The side profile on top is what I got, the one on the bottom is what she really wants. ARe there small planes that I can curve the top off with?
I can probably cut an additional piece with a curved profile on the top and glue it to the front if I need that piece. Any input would be appreciated.

You could make cut 3 from my diagram an 1/8" fat and then plane, scrape, chisel out the last bit of depth except for the lip(?). A little tedious but would eliminate a tacked on lip. Or embrace the tacked on lip and make it a design element . . .
 

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Just a thought but why could one not cut the lip with a router bit. You would need to jig the whole thing up to run it through the router on the router table but I dont see why a router could not be used.:dunno:
 
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