Step 3 - Make the Forms

After reading about how everyone hates the holes that staples leave behind when you staple the strips to the forms I decided to modify the forms instructions and try something new. I created each of the forms from two cut outs - one is a 3/4" wide ring around the outside, and the other is a center plate inset 1/4" from the inside of the ring. I glued them together using a bunch of clamp and TiteBond II glue. I am hoping that this will let me clamp the strips to the rings. We'll see if this works - if not, the two piece construction still makes a nice stable form.

• Trace the Forms onto paper
  This was really boring and tedious. I really think they should have included full-sized printouts for each of the forms. Instead, what you get is a set of lines for one half of each form.
  That said, I just put the 'natural vellum tracing paper' on top of the plans and traced using a marker. In order to do the two piece ring and plate form contruction I had to trace each one twice - the first time with the actual outline and then using a compass to make a ring 3/4" in from the outline; the second time just using the compass to create a line 1/4" in from the line on the plans. Then flip over the tracing paper and create the other half. Here's a picture of me looking happier than I actually was:
  
• Glue the paper tracings onto the plywood
  First I laid them down on the plywood and moved them around to fit and then I used a whole can of 3M High Strength 90 spray adhesive to glue them down. By carefully fitting them and putting smaller ones inside of the larger rings you can cut all of them from about 2/3 of a sheet of plywood. I forgot to take a picture before I started cutting...
  
• Cut out the plywood forms
  This is pretty straight forward. Use a jigsaw and cut them all out. Leave some extra wood on the outside of the rings so that you can sand them down to the line exactly later. I remembered to take a picture:
  
• Glue and clamp the rings to the plates
  Put a bead of TiteBond II glue around the edge of the plates, plop the rings on top, then clamp it up with spring clamps. I bought a dozen spring clamps - then I read on the internet that you can use those big Acco Paper Clips - they work great and cost about $3 a dozen instead of $3 each for the others! Here's a couple of pictures:
  
• Sand the edges
  Use a 3" x 3" sanding drum with 80 grit sandpaper in a drillpress to sand the edges right down to the lines:
  
• Route the edges
  Finally using a 5/16" inset rabetting bit route around the edges so that there is a nice even rabbet around them all. This is purely for looks.