Project - "Making a Blanket Chest using the New Jessem router table and the Akeda Dovetail Jig"

Tomorrow, I start a new project making a blanket chest with Beth — actually a different Beth than last time. Before she comes, I want to work out a way of handling long boards on the new table. It has a super sized table, but the boards I will be edging will be 48"long, so I want to make a jig.    To start, I install my  1/2" pattern bearing bit. It has a cutting height of 2" so it will work even with the jig board being 3/4" thick.
	I want to make the jig as a "permanent" fixture, but I also want to make use of scrap pieces where I can. I am trying a long length of 3/4" melamine  to see if it fits in the router table's miter gauge track. It does with just a  little "slop". That doesn't concern me — when I use the jig, I will just have to remember to keep pressure forward.
I measure the distance from the leading edge of the slot to the cutter of the bit. It is 5 3/4". I will place a dado at 5 7/8" so I can route the last bit off.
	I have setup my table saw with the stacked dado set for cutting a  3/4" wide slot. The depth is set at 3/8".
I have ripped the white melamine strip to be the width of the dado here and the depth of the miter slot — less a hair. I do not want the jig to ride high at all.    I am brushing in carpenter's glue.  I will use a couple of screws from the top but do not really expect them to hold much in the core of the composite. The glue will do the trick.
	I have predrilled and countersunk for the 1" screw. I do not want any of the head above the surface. It would scratch the project wood.
The inset close-up shows me routing off that 1/8" that I had left. When I have completed this cut, the edge will represent the exact cut line. By the way, the board is 56" long to have room for clamps to hold down 48" boards.    Note that I have brought the fence forward and have clamped it to about 1/2" behind the cutter. I am not using it as a guide, but I do want the vacuum to suck up the MDF dust. It does that well.
	I take a piece of 220 grit paper to smooth off the little fuzz from the top surface. Actually, the MDF machines very well. It will be a good edge to use as a final guide.
I am trying out some clamps that I want to use on this jig. These hold downs are very inexpensive and, I think, will be more than satisfactory. I have a piece of 48" T-track that I will mount in a dado that I will cut on the top surface of the jig. I will cut the T-track in half and leave the center portion without.
	I have cut a dado for the T-track to fit it snuggly. There are screw holes pre-drilled in the track but with only 3/8" of MDF under the track, I think my best bet will to be use 2-part epoxy. I am applying it "liberally". I do not want these T-track sections to lift out.    Once dried and cured, I think this jig will be outstanding for what I want to use it for. I will spray it with a coat or two of polyurethane. I don't want the MDF to be absorbing moisture.