Woodworking: Amateurs, Craftsmen, & In-Between

[Ken Fabian]

On 15/01/2018 at 1:34 AM, iNow said:

That’s excellent!

 

Thank you. I've been pleased with the end results - and have enjoyed the learning process involved. I'd wrongly imagined that style of woodworking would be intrinsically easy and was surprised at the challenges it presents. I began with what grows on our own land, harvesting the poles - more demanding than it sounds to preserve the natural surfaces without bruising or blemishes. I was making the tenons with draw-knife and spoke shave, moved to using hole saws and cutting away the excess around - having to grind down spade bits to get the right fit - and only much later discovered there were such things as a tenon-cutters and forstner bits, which are like giant pencil sharpeners and clever hole cutters for larger diameters. Whatever you have in mind, it's likely there will be some kind of specialised machine or tool out there. Yet there is a lot of satisfaction working with hand tools - which is good because I've found myself needing them again and again.

Edited January 16, 2018 by Ken Fabian

[StringJunky]

13 minutes ago, Ken Fabian said:

 

Thank you. I've been pleased with the end results - and have enjoyed the learning process involved. I'd wrongly imagined that style of woodworking would be intrinsically easy and was surprised at the challenges it presents. I began with what grows on our own land, harvesting the poles - more demanding than it sounds to preserve the natural surfaces without bruising or blemishes. I was making the tenons with draw-knife and spoke shave, moved to using hole saws and cutting away the excess around - having to grind down spade bits to get the right fit - and only much later discovered there were such things as a tenon-cutters and forstner bits, which are like giant pencil sharpeners and clever hole cutters for larger diameters. Whatever you have in mind, it's likely there will be some kind of specialised machine or tool out there. Yet there is a lot of satisfaction working with hand tools - which is good because I've found myself needing them again and again.

Hand skills are always useful for in situ modifications.

[Mordred]

Lol my most nightmarish project over 20 years ago was a non profit company hired me to build a 12 by 10 by 6 foot rifle display cabinet.

 They had so little funds available that they supplied me with old wood from railroad tracks that they salvaged. I only had an 8 inch table saw, 1 jackplane and odds and ends hand woodworking tools. I build a table to support larger wood cuts on that 8 inch table saw and had to design my own jigs guides and antikickpack arrestors.

 

 I never wanted to photograph the end project even though the company liked the work. I personally was disgusted with the project. Though it was rewarding on one aspect. The sheer creative usage of making such a large project with a highly limitted selection of tools and materials.

My clamps was made out of the same material and rope to tighten the clamps. (challenged my rope skills lol) as one example.

 

Edited January 17, 2018 by Mordred

[zapatos]

It's a very pleasant feeling to have the right tool for the job at hand, but it is surprising what you can accomplish with some imagination. Using ropes for clamps is a new one, but I have used 2x4s and boxes of rocks.

[arc]

On 1/14/2018 at 5:33 AM, Raider5678 said:

I had used metal for the balls, it still doesn't work.

It's a very simple concept, and all I know is that I'm losing a LOT of energy somewhere. I'm assuming the strings are too large(they're pretty important) so I'm going to restring it with fishing line.

 

I used a 6 1/2 inch by 3 inch by 1/2 inch dark stained block with 4 square pieces.  1/2 by 1/2 inch by 4 inches. Then I used two 6 inch long 1/4 inch dowels and put them between the 1/2inch pieces of wood by drilling a hole. So the woods pretty nice looking, albeit a tiny bit crooked on one side.

I think they appear deceptively simple. But all of the ball's contact points must be directly inline from one end to the other, from first to the last. Even unnoticeable variation in contact points would produce deflection, so energy would be spent inducing rotation in the ball that then would be transferred to the other balls and even to the strings as they resist the errant movement being transferred down the line.  All of the best examples I've seen use metal that resists the dynamics of the swinging mass, any unnoticeable movement in the frame would dampen the kinetic energy. As would any variation in specifications between components that should ideally be identical. 

[StringJunky]

@iNow  You might be interested in a plunging track saw for cutting boards. Here's a video about them: 

 You can knock a support frame up to saw on, like the table top in the video, and lay it down on the floor and then stack it up against a wall when you aren't using it. I don't have space for a work bench so portability is important to me.

You can cut sections out in the middle of boards because it's plunging as well... just hand saw the corners I've just bought a fairly simple one with 1m track. It doesn't do angles but can set depth.  It was £65($75) delivered... bargain! This one has 30mm cut depth and light enough to be used one handed. Ideally, you want a track length equal to the standard width of boards; 4ft or 1400mm here. 

I have a couple of little projects involving cutting up boards and this seems a good cost-friendly, portable solution for a hobbyist. This is my saw: http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworking-power-tools-machinery-plunge-saws-plunge-cut-saw-with-1m-track-rutlands+xt3510

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by StringJunky

[iNow]

Those are cool, but I've got an old Skill saw I picked up years ago at a garage sale and lay it against a straight edge that I clamp down. Not as fancy, but works just as well. I've done a few plunge cuts with it that came out well.

Using a few pieces of scrap, I built a magnetic handcut dovetail gauge, one that sells for a ridiculous amount online (like $60). Came out great, but am a little pissed at myself for focusing too much on making (what I thought was going to be) the "perfect" cut.

Once I'd assembled and glued the full piece, it was time to insert the 1" diameter magnets. So, I drilled the holes with a forsner bit and made my depth so the magnet would lay just under flush. I gave about a 1/16th to 1/32nd for the glue, but as the glue cured it puffed up big-time and pushed out one edge of the magnet so it was quite a bit proud of the surface.

Really pissed me off. All that work making everything perfect, only to have the Gorilla glue bubble it out on the final step. I managed to file down the magnet a bit to make it nearly flush again, but I need to spend some more time with it to get it right (it's been far too cold to work out in the garage, so it's sort of just been lingering on my bench waiting for me to get out there again).

Edited February 5, 2018 by iNow

[Sensei]

On 9.01.2018 at 1:28 AM, iNow said:

but I’ve recently begun to get into woodworking.

It reminded me this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj4gSMdaaxE

 

 

 

 

The last time I was making woodwork, I made a wine press:

Not as pretty as this one..

 

Very similar project to hot tub of wood, for sauna.

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by Sensei

[iNow]

Nice! Now I'm thirsty...

[Raider5678]

Unless I'm wrong, you could probably make apple cider with it as well.

I don't drink wine. So that's what I'd make instead.

[iNow]

That was my very first thought before I read that it was a wine press... cider press. Soo... So... delicious fresh.

[iNow]

On 1/13/2018 at 2:48 PM, waitforufo said:

Of all the tools I have purchased that have made me a productive wood worker I would say my air compressor, and brad nailer make just about every project possible.  The trick with a brad nailer is that you can tack your project together while also gluing the parts.  You will be surprised what you can build.  

I know you’ve been banned and likely will never see this, but in large part based on your suggestion I decided to pick one up tonight. I sometimes get amazon gift cards for helping people solve complex problems at work and I decided this would be a great use of my most recent one. As the weather warms, I’ll finally be able to get back out into the garage and start practicing again. 

[StringJunky]

6 hours ago, iNow said:

I know you’ve been banned and likely will never see this, but in large part based on your suggestion I decided to pick one up tonight. I sometimes get amazon gift cards for helping people solve complex problems at work and I decided this would be a great use of my most recent one. As the weather warms, I’ll finally be able to get back out into the garage and start practicing again. 

I've just started looking at them too. Trying to weigh up if an electric one will do me, if they can deliver up to 1.5inch brads. I've ordered a hakimiwashi saw and a ryoba saw. I want to have a few woodworking projects going this year. Got to get off the computer a bit more as Spring draws nearer.

[iNow]

I've had an electric one from Black & Decker for years that's primarily a powered staple gun which happens to accept small brads. It's useful in some scenarios, but I've found it lacks power when going through more than about 1/2" of wood. Given this, I decided to put my air compressor to good use and move forward with a pneumatic one so wood hardness and thickness becomes less of an issue. 

[StringJunky]

19 minutes ago, iNow said:

I've had an electric one from Black & Decker for years that's primarily a powered staple gun which happens to accept small brads. It's useful in some scenarios, but I've found it lacks power when going through more than about 1/2" of wood. Given this, I decided to put my air compressor to good use and move forward with a pneumatic one so wood hardness and thickness becomes less of an issue. 

It looks like they've advanced from yours. I've just spotted one that does 2 inch ones. That's more than enough for me. It's 123 pounds, so that will probably make more economic sense for me over a pneumatic one.

[iNow]

For context: I spent $25 total for a WEN on amazon

[iNow]

So I learned a few things this weekend.

First, I dislike cutting 4x4s, especially if I have multiple that need to be exactly equal in length. Would’ve been FAR easier with a chop saw. Too long for table saw, too inconsistent with circular saw. Finally after failing twice decided to clamp all four together and did an 8x8 cut with a handsaw guided by a speed square. My shoulder is still sore.

Second, you can never have enough clamps. I wound up taking the ratcheting tie downs out of my car trunk and using those.

Third, pocket hole joinery is wicked simple. Feels like cheating, but I’m gonna choose to be okay with that. 

Fourth, it’s worth a few extra bucks to get the higher grade wood. The inconsistency of the standard stuff just made everything harder and take longer. The $20 I saved wasn’t worth the inconvenience and I should’ve gone with higher quality  

Fifth, it’s painfully obvious when you lack the right tool for the task at hand, and I’m probably gonna need a router.

Sixth, building is easier and more enjoyable when you don’t need to compromise every choice with your spouse. 

To that last point, haven’t begun yet but I’ve decided to build my own farmhouse style dining table. I fell in love with black walnut and found a quality local supplier. I wanted 2 or 3 larger live-edge-style pieces for the table top to really highlight the burl and crotch areas. It would be stunning and I’d love looking at that every day. My wife, however, wants multiple smaller boards (6”) for the table top and is also set on using oak.

So, guess what kind of top I’ll be building and which species I’ll be using? Hardly the worst thing in the world, of course, and I’ll save money, sure, but I’m the one putting in the work and money to do it all. Ugh... Goodbye sweet delicious luscious luxurious lovely lasting walnut!

Anway. Enough bitching. I’m heading back out into the garage to do some more hand planing and sanding on the work bench I just threw together as practice. 

Edited February 25, 2018 by iNow

[StringJunky]

12 minutes ago, iNow said:

So I learned a few things this weekend.

First, I dislike cutting 4x4s, especially if I have multiple that need to be exactly equal in length. Would’ve been FAR easier with a chop saw. Too long for table saw, too inconsistent with circular saw. Finally after failing twice decided to clamp all four together and did an 8x8 cut with a handsaw guided by a speed square. My shoulder is still sore.

Second, you can never have enough clamps. I wound up taking the ratcheting tie downs out of my car trunk and using those.

Third, pocket hole joinery is wicked simple. Feels like cheating, but I’m gonna choose to be okay with that. 

Third, it’s worth a few extra bucks to get the higher grade wood. The inconsistency of the standard stuff just made everything harder and take longer. The $20 I saved wasn’t worth the inconvenience and I should’ve gone with higher quality  

Fifth, it’s painfully obvious when you lack the right tool for the task at hand, and I’m probably gonna need a router.

Sixth, building is easier and more enjoyable when you don’t need to compromise every choice with your spouse. 

To that last point, haven’t begun yet but I’ve decided to build my own farmhouse style dining table. I fell in love with black walnut and found a quality local supplier. I wanted 2 or 3 larger live-edge-style pieces for the table top to really highlight the burl and crotch areas. It would be stunning and I’d love looking at that every day. My wife, however, wants multiple smaller boards (6”) and is set on using oak.

So, guess what kind of top I’ll be building and which species I’ll use. Hardly the worst thing in the world, of course, and I’ll save money, sure, but I’m the one putting in the work and money to do it all. Ugh... Goodbye sweet delicious luscious luxurious lovely lasting walnut!

Anway. Enough bitching. I’m heading back out into the garage to do some more hand planing and sanding. 

Oak is a lot harder on your stamina to finish. I used to sand the stuff by hand as one of my past jobs.  Have plenty of aluminium oxide paper. Cherry is the nicest to work with. I used to get a beautiful lustre just sanding with 120.

[iNow]

Tried my first mortise and tenons today, four total. Learned that the mortise is really hard to do well without a drill press, without a router, and without a mortising bit or jig. Used a hand drill with forstner bit to start the holes and spent a ton of time with chisels straightening the sides.  

Marked the tenons with a homemade marking gauge and cut them using a standard blade on my table saw... back and forth passes, gentle nudging it the width of the saw curd over and over until the mater was cleared. Cleaned up the shoulders and sides with chisels after and those came out well. 

I’m sore and tired after all the planing, sanding, and chiseling today and my wife’s already sending me links to all of the things she wants me to build next! Fortunately, my confidence and skill level is growing and the things she wants are relatively simple.

8 hours ago, StringJunky said:

Oak is a lot harder on your stamina to finish.

Thanks for the heads up. I suspect that also means it will be harder on my tools and require more frequent sharpening, too. 

Edited February 26, 2018 by iNow

[StringJunky]

5 hours ago, iNow said:

Tried my first mortise and tenons today, four total. Learned that the mortise is really hard to do well without a drill press, without a router, and without a mortising bit or jig. Used a hand drill with forstner bit to start the holes and spent a ton of time with chisels straightening the sides.  

Marked the tenons with a homemade marking gauge and cut them using a standard blade on my table saw... back and forth passes, gentle nudging it the width of the saw curd over and over until the mater was cleared. Cleaned up the shoulders and sides with chisels after and those came out well. 

I’m sore and tired after all the planing, sanding, and chiseling today and my wife’s already sending me links to all of the things she wants me to build next! Fortunately, my confidence and skill level is growing and the things she wants are relatively simple.

Thanks for the heads up. I suspect that also means it will be harder on my tools and require more frequent sharpening, too. 

Yes, It's hard on everything. Buy your pieces as clean as you can afford.I wouldn't cheap out and get rougher stuff with a view to sorting it out. If you want the medullary rays it needs to be quartersawn. Here's a sample page on the type of cuts: 

https://www.thefurnituremarket.co.uk/what-is-a-medullary-ray-in-oak-furniture

The other thing to think about is will you be filling it for a shiny finish or going for the rustic look where the grain is in relief; farmouse table style. Oak is open-pored compared to other woods. TBH, I think, unless you are going for the rustic look, it's going to be very hard work, for you and your equipment. It's my favourite looking wood but it takes  muscle and patience to work with. Oak is more akin to working with metal than wood.  White oak is 30% harder than black walnut. Notice that cherry is one below walnut and cherry is spot-on to hand sand -walnut should be as well. If you are going for the burr walnut look, rather than straight-grain, you have to sand with the grain with each little section... this is a very patient job as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test

 

Edited February 26, 2018 by StringJunky

[zapatos]

7 hours ago, StringJunky said:

ink about is will you be filling it for a shiny finish or going for the rustic look where the grain is in relief; farmouse table style. Oak is open-pored compared to other woods. TBH, I think, unless you are going for the rustic look, it's going to be very hard work, for you and your equipment. It's my favourite looking wood but it takes  muscle and patience to work with. Oak is more akin to working with metal than wood.  White oak is 30% harder than black walnut. Notice that cherry is one below walnut and cherry is spot-on to hand sand -walnut should be as well. If you are going for the burr walnut look, rather than straight-grain, you have to sand with the grain with each little section... this is a very patient job as well.

You reminded me why I love my surface planer and random orbit sander.

[iNow]

Rustic look is the plan. Will be doing lots of with-the-grain sanding. Lots. And lots. Of sanding. 

Also intend to apply Dutch oil once the build is complete then sand it wet. Understand that creates a bit of a slurry from the saw dust and fills the pores a bit. Will knock down high spots with consecutively higher grits then apply paste wax. 

Hardest puzzle I’m working through right now is how best to do the bread boards in a way that allows expansion and contraction of the wood. I’ve seen several different approaches, most summarized as: don’t just glue a butt joint; don’t use pocket holes, avoid dowels alone.

Ideally, I’ll combine a tongue and groove joint with some mortise and tenons, then keep it tight with a dowel through the tenons, apply glue only to the center one and elongating the outer holes before inserting the outer dowels.

It’s clearly the best way, but I’m not convinced I can pull it off yet. Gonna borrow a router from my father in law and practice on some scrap pieces in the weeks ahead. 

[iNow]

Thinking a bit more on this... Perhaps I might just abandon the idea of breadboards entirely and attach a few battens on the underside.

[zapatos]

4 hours ago, iNow said:

Rustic look is the plan. Will be doing lots of with-the-grain sanding. Lots. And lots. Of sanding. 

Also intend to apply Dutch oil once the build is complete then sand it wet. Understand that creates a bit of a slurry from the saw dust and fills the pores a bit. Will knock down high spots with consecutively higher grits then apply paste wax. 

Hardest puzzle I’m working through right now is how best to do the bread boards in a way that allows expansion and contraction of the wood. I’ve seen several different approaches, most summarized as: don’t just glue a butt joint; don’t use pocket holes, avoid dowels alone.

Ideally, I’ll combine a tongue and groove joint with some mortise and tenons, then keep it tight with a dowel through the tenons, apply glue only to the center one and elongating the outer holes before inserting the outer dowels.

It’s clearly the best way, but I’m not convinced I can pull it off yet. Gonna borrow a router from my father in law and practice on some scrap pieces in the weeks ahead. 

What is a bread board?

[iNow]

10 minutes ago, zapatos said:

What is a bread board?

On a table, it's a board that runs perpendicular to the tabletop planks. So, you have multiple boards running in parallel and connected to make a single large rectangular top, but those show end-grain on the far edges and also have a tendency to bow/cup as seasons change. The breadboard is an attachment perpendicular to those boards, placed at the ends, for both decorative and functional results (the function being it helps minimize bowing and cupping).

Something like this, where the bar ( | ) represents the breadboard:

TABLE:   |=====|