microjig MATCHFIT X-PAD 4 PACK User manual

MATCHFIT
X-PAD 4 PACK
STARTER PROJECT
Walnut Pet Buffet with Food Storage

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This 2-bowl pet buffet with food storage makes feeding your furry friends more convenient,
and stylish! It was designed to demonstrate how MATCHFIT Dovetail Clamps, upgraded with
MATCHFIT X-PADs, make assembling this piece significantly easier than traditional methods. It
has mitered joints, but only 3 sides. Without a 4th side to distribute pressure evenly, band
clamps are not an option. With just four Dovetail Clamps and X-PADS, the parts can be
clamped together on a flat surface, with ample pressure on all sides of the mitered joints for a
successful glue up.
- (4) MATCHFIT Dovetail Clamps
- 4-Pack of MATCHFIT X-PADs (1 package)
- MATCHFIT dovetail clamping surface
- Table saw
- Miter gauge or table saw sled
- Handheld router
- Ci
- Circle cutting router jig
- 45 degree chamfer router bit
- ¼” straight or spiral router bit
- A dog (corgi or corgi-mix recommended)
(A)
(B) (C)
(Z1)
- ¾” thick hardwood of your choosing, 9”W x 30”L
- ¾” thick hardwood, 4” wide x 16-¼” long
- ½” thick plywood 2” wide x 48” long
- ¼” thick plywood, 8” wide x 16” long
- 8” drawer slides
- Push-to-open drawer catch
- Clear coat of your choosing
- Clear coat of your choosing

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Cut a single ¾” thick hardwood board to finish at 9” wide x 28-¼” long. Make sure
that it’s flat, square, and of uniform thickness.
Next, cut 5” of from both ends of the 28-¼” long board. Don’t cut them both from
the same side.

Tilt your table saw blade to 45 degrees. Using a miter gauge or table saw sled,
crosscut one end of each 5” board (sides). It helps to lay out the 3 parts in order and
mark out the cuts. Cutting the wrong side will eliminate the possibility of a continuous
grain pattern.
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STEP 2 - CUT MITER JOINTS

Lay the 3 parts flat with the mitered edges facing down, in the order they’ll be assembled. Put a
strip of painters tape across the parts where they meet, then flip the parts over. Apply wood glue
to all four mitered edges and join the 3 parts.
Align the X-PADs’ Edge Positioning Guide with the outermost corner of the joints with the Screw
Center Guide off the edge of the material, tighten clamps.
Use a machinisht square to ensure that the sides are 90-degrees with the top. If necessary, lightly
tap the sides with a non-marring mallet to square them up with the top.
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STEP 3 - ASSEMBLE TOP AND SIDES

While the glue is drying, cut ½” thick plywood down to 2” wide x 48” long. From the 48”
long strip, crosscut (2) 14-½” long parts, and (2) 8-¼” long parts.
Glue and clamp the four parts together with the short parts overlapping the long parts as
shown. The assembly should finish at 8-¼” x 15-½”.
NOTE* The bottom piece pictured is only to prevent glue squeeze-out from getting in the
dovetail tracks. It is not a part of the drawer box.
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STEP 4 - BUILD FOOD DRAWER

Cut a piece of ¼” thick plywood to finish at 8-⁄” x 15-⁄”. This will be the bottom
of the drawer. Apply glue to the bottom edge of the 4-sided drawer assembly, then
flip it over and place it on top of the drawer bottom.
The drawer bottom is ⁄” oversized, which will give you a ⁄” reveal around all four
sides. Ensure that the bottom overhangs all four sides, then clamp in place. You
may want to use cauls to ensure even pressure. Allow glue to dry before
unclamping.
8-⁄”
15-⁄”
INSTRUCTIONS
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STEP 4: BUILD FOOD DRAWER CONTINUED

Measure the diameter of the bowls you chose for this project. The bowls used for
these instructions are 6-½” around at the top lip. The lip will sit on top of the sur-
face, so the hole for the rest of the bowl will be ¼” smaller in diameter.
Mark the center of the long side top and draw a line straight across. Next draw
diagonal lines from each corner to the center line. Where the diagonal lines
intersect, mark 1/2” in toward the center line to prevent the bowls from interfering
with the drawer.
INSTRUCTIONS
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STEP 5: CUT BOWL HOLES

Based on the diameter of the bowls you’re using, cut the holes out of the top using
either a router with a circle cutting jig, a template with a flush trim bit. Because the
edge of the hole will be covered by the lip of the bowl, this can also be done care-
fully with a jigsaw, depending on your level of command and comfortability with
the tool.
Using a 45 degree chamfer bit, route a 1/4” chamfer around the (top) inside edge
of both holes. The chamfer will allow the bowls to self-center in the holes, and
prevent them from rattling around too much.
INSTRUCTIONS
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STEP 5: CUT BOWL HOLES CONTINUED

Using the same 45 degree chamfer bit on the router, chamfer the excess off of the
drawer bottom. The chamfer should begin at the joint between the walls of the
drawer and the bottom.
Install the drawer slides according to the manufacturers’ instructions. The drawer
front will be inset, so the slides should be installed so that the drawer front sits
flush with the front edge of the top and sides. Once the drawer is installed and
properly positioned, attach the drawer front with an ⁄” reveal on all four sides.
INSTRUCTIONS
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STEP 6: MAKE DRAWER BOTTOM DISAPPEAR
STEP 7: INSTALL FOOD DRAWER

At this point, you can add roundovers or route other edge profiles to your liking, or
simply sand it. The piece shown in these instructions has a ⁄” roundover on all
outer edges of the walnut parts (sides, top, and drawer front).
We recommend applying at least 2 coats of clear finish (on the walnut parts only) to
protect the piece from moisture. The piece shown was finished with 4 coats of
semi-gloss lacquer. The inside of the food drawer was finished with food-grade oil.
Anything other that food-grade oil could pose a health risk to your pet.
INSTRUCTIONS
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STEP 8: FINISHING