Jig for wood panel supports

Overview

A piece of birch plywood requires supports to prevent it from bending or warping.
Supports can be cut at a 45-degree angle and joined with staples. However, I am sure this approach is not as stable as my approach.
There are four support boards. Each support requires 2 overlapping corner joints, for a total of 8 overlapping corner joints.
Too make these overlapping joints repeatable with a snug fit, create a jig.
The 1-1/2-inch part of the poplar is vertical.
The finished jig is shown on the left.

Parts

Tools

Table saw with blade that has at least 200 teeth.
Table saw miter gauge.
Power Drill with 1/4 wood drill bit and counter sink bit.
Spring clamps.
Metal speed square.
Hammer, Phillips head screwdriver, Xacto knife, sharp wood chisel, measuring tape, sharpened pencil, permanent marker

Step A1. Fence for sled

Index card taped to miter gauge with holes cut.

Index card folded onto fence and taped.

Index card taped to fence.

Step A2. Template for sled

The sled isn't necessarily level with the top of the table saw.
Fold an index card over the sled and its holes. Trim if necessary. Tape the index card to the sled while it is seated in the table saw, which will set the correct height. Tape the index card to the sled. See left image above.
Using an Xacto knife cut out the holes.
Position the poplar board from A1 and flip the top of the index card from the sled to the board and tape it down. See middle image above.
- With the miter gauge inserted into the table, one side of the poplar fence should extend about 4 inches past the saw blade.
- The other end of the fence should not extend past the end of the table saw. If it does it can be cut later.

Step A3. Drill holes in fence

Make a dent in the poplar where the screws will go. See right image above.
Using the counter sink, drill two holes with appropriate depth for the screw's head.
Using a 1/4-inch drill bit, widen the two holes.

Step A4. Attach fence too miter gauge

Attach the poplar fence to the sled using the bolts and nuts.
The tapered heads of the bolts must be flush with the fence, or below the surface of the fence.
Use a wrench and Philip's head screw driver to tighten.

Step A5. Adjust the table saw's blade

The height of the support boards is 1-1/2 inches, and the width is 3/4 inches.
To make an overlap joint, a 3/4 by 3/4 inch joint needs to be cut using the jig.
Unplug the table saw.
- Ensure the saw blade is vertical.
- Raise the table saw blade to maximum height.
- Use a metal speed square to ensure the blade is vertical. Check both sides and adjust as necessary.
Lower the table saw blade to 3/4-inch height. I do this by laying a poplar board next to the blade. I put another piece of poplar on top and raise the blade until it just touches the top board.

Note: The poplar hardwood supports may not be exactly 3/4 inch wide or 1-1/2 inches high. They should be close.

Step A6. Make a cut for the saw blade in the fence

Step A7. Add a stop block

Cut a 3-inch piece of poplar.
Align the stop block with the cut in the fence by doing the following:
- Use a short piece of 3/4-inch poplar aligned with the far end of the cut in the fence.
- Align the stop block with the poplar and clamp in place.
Drill two pilot holes with the countersink bit.
Secure the stop block with the wood screws.

Step A8. Final trim

If necessary, remove the jig and trim to length.
- The stop block and fence should be flush.
- The other end should not extend past the end of the table saw.

Step A9. Mark the jig

The jig won't be used all the time. So, name it and write directions on how to use the jig .
- Name: wood panel support overlap joint jig
- Directions: insert 3/4-inch poplar in jig and nibble away from end to cut in fence.

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