Woodworkers Thread
- Thread starter AgronAlum
- Start date
I have about 100 ft of white oak I've been itching to make something with. Might do so with my new time off.
Thanks to all this free time after work I've been knocking out a while bunch of shop maintenance projects I never seem to have time to get around to. I moved in August and there are about 2 dozen little things I've been meaning to do since moved. This past weekend I got the knives swapped out in my jointer and set back up (I hate doing that), cleaned all the surface rust off the cast iron tops on my big power tools and put a coat of wax on them to protect them for a while. Got the motor wired back up in my bandsaw and replaced the regulator on my air compressor. I also went to drain the water out of the air compressor tank but it wouldn't seal back up afterwards, I think the rust in the tank was the only thing sealing it up so I ordered a new drain valve, this time it's going to be remote so I can reach it without laying down on the floor to open it up. Next weekend I think it's going to be hand plane maintenance weekend. I have enough of those that it might turn into two weekends.
If anybody is looking for a deal on a nice handsaw Bad Axe Tools out of La Crosse is running a 19% off special right now. Their stuff isn't cheap but if you are sort of thinking about getting a saw from them this is the time to pull the trigger I think.
http://www.badaxetoolworks.com/index.php
http://www.badaxetoolworks.com/index.php
With most of my other activities coming to a halt I've spent more time in my shop lately and had it at least decently cleaned up this weekend and thought I'd share a couple of pictures in the thread (see below)
I was also going to share a couple project pictures once I got the latest done, but I've run into a comedy or errors (it's been the theme on this project) and I'm stuck on 95% done so I'll wait for that final 5% before sharing pictures.
Just to vent on the issues....
I'm making built in cabinets for a home office (wish it was done since I'm working from home at the moment). Phase 1 is a lower unit of cabinets for office storage. I'm all done except four doors and a couple trim pieces between the cabinet and the wall.
Issues were...
I somehow made the doors too big. I remade the doors this weekend and was getting ready to finish them. I'm using basically the first technique described here...
https://www.woodworkerssource.com/b.../how-to-finish-mahogany-woodworking-projects/
I had run out of aniline dye so had ordered more. Apparently Mohawk now owns Behlen and chose to eliminate the Behlen brand. Didn't seem like a problem. I just ordered Mohawk medium brown walnut. Came in what looked like the same bottle and I assumed I was fine. I started the first coat and the color is completely different then then Behlen product. I emailed Mohawk and their basic response was yeah our colors don't match the old product try mixing these colors to get something close. I've got some stuff on the way but this is really going to suck if I can't get a good color match. (there's two more phases coming - a desk and upper cabinets)
So I put the doors aside and moved on to the trim pieces. I need to cut those around some existing baseboard. I haven't used my bandsaw in a long time and remember last time I did breaking a blade. Ordered a blade. As I was installing it I vaguely remembered the last time I used it putting on a new blade and the blade breaking instantly. So I took my time making sure alignment and tension were good. Things seemed fine and I started cutting and got a weird noise. Shut things off and the upper tire was coming off the pulley so I ordered new tires and waiting for them to come in.
I've got a material list for Phase 2 (the desk) which I'm guessing I'll probably get done about the time my work from home time ends. I'll have to venture out into public sometime soon while I still can or that phase is going to be stuck as well and then I'll have to find something else to keep busy during my free time.
I was also going to share a couple project pictures once I got the latest done, but I've run into a comedy or errors (it's been the theme on this project) and I'm stuck on 95% done so I'll wait for that final 5% before sharing pictures.
Just to vent on the issues....
I'm making built in cabinets for a home office (wish it was done since I'm working from home at the moment). Phase 1 is a lower unit of cabinets for office storage. I'm all done except four doors and a couple trim pieces between the cabinet and the wall.
Issues were...
I somehow made the doors too big. I remade the doors this weekend and was getting ready to finish them. I'm using basically the first technique described here...
https://www.woodworkerssource.com/b.../how-to-finish-mahogany-woodworking-projects/
I had run out of aniline dye so had ordered more. Apparently Mohawk now owns Behlen and chose to eliminate the Behlen brand. Didn't seem like a problem. I just ordered Mohawk medium brown walnut. Came in what looked like the same bottle and I assumed I was fine. I started the first coat and the color is completely different then then Behlen product. I emailed Mohawk and their basic response was yeah our colors don't match the old product try mixing these colors to get something close. I've got some stuff on the way but this is really going to suck if I can't get a good color match. (there's two more phases coming - a desk and upper cabinets)
So I put the doors aside and moved on to the trim pieces. I need to cut those around some existing baseboard. I haven't used my bandsaw in a long time and remember last time I did breaking a blade. Ordered a blade. As I was installing it I vaguely remembered the last time I used it putting on a new blade and the blade breaking instantly. So I took my time making sure alignment and tension were good. Things seemed fine and I started cutting and got a weird noise. Shut things off and the upper tire was coming off the pulley so I ordered new tires and waiting for them to come in.
I've got a material list for Phase 2 (the desk) which I'm guessing I'll probably get done about the time my work from home time ends. I'll have to venture out into public sometime soon while I still can or that phase is going to be stuck as well and then I'll have to find something else to keep busy during my free time.
I got a request last night from our home decorator that she wants a couple Adirondack chairs for the back patio. I'm trying to make a hard push to get through a whole bunch of tool maintenance projects before I start anything else though. I just know that once I get started on the chairs it'll be a while before I get motivated to do the maintenance.
I started a walnut slab table before the **** hit the fan. I poured 30 liters of black resin with a few sparkles, (12 y/o daughter's request - but looks great). It is a large dining table 96" x 42". It's so large I can't share an image because it makes a huge file.
So it sits in the garage waiting to be sanded by a dude that sent his dust masks to his sister in Brooklyn. Take care y'all.
So it sits in the garage waiting to be sanded by a dude that sent his dust masks to his sister in Brooklyn. Take care y'all.
I used some quartersawn white oak I had laying around. My grandpa ran a sawmill when I was a kid supplying it for making wine and whiskey barrels to the coopers that make the barrels and he has about 3 stacks of rejects down in the shed so when I make a trip home I usually grab a few pieces for whatever.
I stained it with clear cedar colored thompsons water seal since they're outdoor furniture.
So here's a question for those more attuned to woodworking, I made an outdoor bench out of untreated pine and used a product from menards I was told would seal it (something with Australian name I think???) and prevent it from getting damaged. I covered it over the winter and had it next to the house so it would take less of the winter on it. It has a few mold spots on some of the 2x6's I used but not bad. What should I do, if anything, to seal this spring/summer? Is that product I already used on it sufficient?
With just about any outdoor wood furniture I'd assume you'll need to pressure wash it once a season.
Ive has pretty good luck doing general household stuff with this one. The “turbo” nozzle that it comes with is an underrated feature. You may be able to rent one too if you just use it once a year.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Generac...essure-Washer-Speedwash-10000006882/301747345
One more note. After giving you a link to Home Depot, I’m pretty much done buying anything with a small engine from someone doesn’t do the work on them in house. I have a Troy Bilt mower that crapped out in less than a year (leaking gas out of a plastic piece in the carb) and Home Depot told me I had to bring it in so they can send it off somewhere. No info on warranty, how long, etc. A place like Ace or Ankeny Hardware would have had it fixed in a day or two.
I've only been woodworking for a few years now and actually just started my first project using hand planes. Help me understand: what is it about their saws that make them worth as much as a power table saw? I'm on board with quality, longevity, and getting what you pay for. That being said, $300+ for a hand saw seems awfully steep.
I guess it depends on a lot of things if you think they're worth it. I have two of them so I think they are. You can definitely get a cheaper dovetail or carcase saw that's good quality. The problem with most of them are they glue the sawplate in and when you drop it on the floor and put a kink in the sawplate you're on the hook for a new saw, a similar quality Lie-Nielsen or Veritas saw does cost half as much as the Bad Axe but when you have to replace the one you dropped you just paid for the more expensive one. Don't ask how I know this. With the Bad Axe saws you can re-tension the sawplate and you're good to go.
The other thing is I'm supporting a guy who's relatively local and who is always willing to answer stupid questions. One of these days I'm going to take the time and head up to one of his saw sharpening seminars.
I’m on board with that. It’s really tough for me to buy a small engine item from a big box store. The route I prefer to go is buying it used (because I’m cheap) from someone I know or a buddy of a buddy that is known to be halfway trustworthy.
I learned that the hard way on a push mower I bought from Lowes a few years ago. It threw a rod and I was without a mower for a month before I got pissed and chewed them out long enough to get a new mower.
