Plate joiner

A plate joiner comprising:

• a motor for rotatably driving a planar cutter;
• activation means for selectively activating the motor;
• a body supporting the motor and the planar cutter;
• a base shiftably affixed to the body, the base having a planar surface forming a first fence oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the cutter, and having a guideway;
• a handle movably adjustably affixed within the guideway, the handle having a grip portion adapted for cooperation with a hand of an operator and a planar surface forming a second fence forming an angle relative to the first fence, the handle cooperating with the guideway enabling the second fence to be adjusted along a guideway axis parallel to the first fence relative to the planar cutter and pivot about a transverse axis parallel to the first fence and the second fence to vary the angle of the second fence relative to the first fence;
• and
• fastening means for selectively fastening the handle to the base in a desired location.

A method of cutting an arcuate slot in a workpiece by selectively orienting a plate joiner having a planar cutter, the steps comprising:

• providing a base axially movable relative to a plate joiner body, the base having a first fence having a planar surface oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the planar cutter to cooperate with a first surface of the workpiece;
• positioning an axially and pivotally movable handle affixed to the base, the handle having a grip portion adapted for cooperation with a hand of an operator, the handle having a second side with a planar surface forming a second fence cooperating with a second surface of the workpiece;
• and
• fastening the handle to the base;
• retaining the first fence and second fence securely against the workpiece having one hand of the operator gripping the handle grip;
• advancing the motor and planar cutter using the operator's other hand to cut an arcuate slot in the first surface of the workpiece;
• retracting the motor and planar cutter;
• and
• removing the plate joiner to expose the arcuate slot in the first surface of the workpiece.