Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[jimreed2160]

Drives--Great job on the door trim. I am glad you found your compressor. The trim really makes a difference.

BJ--Those are clever little trees--ironically made from larger tree "bones". Those are some serious sleds. Thanks for all the pictures. I will dig out mine so we can all have a laugh.

 

[jimreed2160]

Drives--Sorry for no picture on the turning. The little hole that became a big hole was made with an awl. I just eyeballed for the center and made a mark for the drill bit. The bamboo skewers were long because the holes to secure everything are in the bed posts. The finials actually hold the top frame in place. I hope this clears things up.

In other matters, I needed my pancake compressor. Unlike you, I knew exactly which pile of stuff it was hidden under.

Here is a tip for those with pancake compressors. Go to HF, pick up one of those $7 dollies and put your pancake on wheels.

 

[jimreed2160]

CODE GREEN--Woodworker to the shop STAT. Christmas tree down!

That was the call that went out early this morning. It was like I was working at the hospital all over again. Only this time the crisis was in my own living room. It seems that SOMEONE packed away the tree and forgot to include the stand. Then, apparently, that same SOMEONE cleaned up the shop and PITCHED the stand. Uh-oh. Time to dig out of this hole.

Grab some furring strips and start cutting. Add glue and blow in some brads and here you go.

I needed a little 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 box for the tree.

I made it a tad oversized. Once the glue dries, I will make a few shims and tighten it up. Active grandchildren will be here and it needs to be tight.

ALL CLEAR. Tree crisis is over. Code Green is cancelled. Please resume your normal activities.

 

[drivesitfar]

JIM: so you might know where your compressor is stashed, but you did seem to misplace the Christmas tree stand that you use every year.

so i have what looks like the exact compressor and it's so easy to move around and i've got a 15 foot and 50 foot hose, but curious what the little dolly does to help you? funny too cause i have that same little dolly sitting on a bench where i'm going to store my compressor.

BJ: thanks for the pictures of the sleds and i'm sure i'll want to learn more about these. i like how they keep your fingers out of HARM'S WAY.

nice little project to add to the festive look of your home. also anybody want to see what a member's home can look like with a few lights on it check out BJ'S thread where i think he posted up a few pictures. not quite Chevy's Christmas house, but it bet his neighbors don't have to turn on their lights to read at night. WELL DONE!!

thanks for the KUDOS on my little molding project that i still need to finish (caulk, fill nail holes and paint), but it does look a lot better. now

ALL: so i've bought a few table saws from some old woodworkers when i actually was buying other tools from them and i've ended up with a few of the accessories after selling the saws that i don't have room for (YET). speaking of which if you are buying a saw or woodworking tools from a nice guy that probably should be posting on this thread and he's moving into a condo you might ask to buy all his accessories and wood he has stockpiled which would be the real finds.

cheers

 

[turbowoodworker]

Jim,
That is crisis management WW style!

 

[turbowoodworker]

Drives,

The big advantages of a well made sled are several. The principal is that the work piece is not moved through the blade, the sled is. That seems weird but here goes. If you have ever tried to crosscut a 9 foot piece of wood in thirds, you know that the heavy end drags and can be wobbly going through the blade. That can lead to binding and kickback. You end up pushing hard and awkwardly on the work trying to keep it from tipping.

Also, imagine that same crosscut on a workpiece measuring 3 inches by 1 inch. Your fingers are way too close to the blade!

So enter the sled. Either work piece example can be fixed to the sled with a clamp. If the sled is well made and well maintained, it slides the work through the blade like butter, straight and without binding.

What components make up a good sled? First the fence must be absolutely square. That is the accuracy part you are striving for. Second, the runners must be smooth, drag free. Waxing them helps. Clamping ability is helpful but the fence alone is adequate for clamping. Some of the examples above have really nice T tracks. Great ideas.

Size can be important. I have two sleds. One will accommodate boards up to 13 inches wide, and I have a larger sled for wider pieces. You can even have smaller sleds for specific purposes, like for box or finger joints, but that is more commonly applied to the router table (think coping and small parts sleds or jigs). Last, I like to put a large block of wood on the back of the fence where the blade exits. This gives the blade a place to safely hide right where you might be tempted to place your hand. You can see these on some of BJ's examples.

The comment about keeping the fingers away from the blade is not specifically addressed by a sled. You always must be mindful of blade vs. fingers. But the sled lets you keep hands away from blade by using clamps etc.

In the old days, WW apprentices made their own tool box and workbench as rite of passage projects, that is why so many old ones are fancy and have really held up over newer store bought. But today with the TS, I would argue a good sled should be an early project for anyone using the TS.

Hope this helps,
Rick

 

[drivesitfar]

Turbo: yes your post really helps. if you might post up some of your sleds when you have time and your DSL is fully wound up that would help even more.

currently i have ZERO room for a table saw, but my wife doesn't use her garage during the day so maybe a mobile one might be in the cards some day especially if i remodel our kitchen and maybe do a few other projects around our house.

thank you!!

 

[Screw Loose Dan]

BJ - I appreciate seeing all the sled pics, has certainly given me a couple ideas.

Turbo - I really appreciate the explanation. It answered a lot of my questions. I had noticed the large blocks of wood where the blade would exit and wondered why. Makes sense to hide the blade. However, I noticed on a couple of them, those blocks appear to be on a t track and I can't figure why you would want to move (remove?) those blocks? Or, if that t track isn't holding that block and it just so happens to end where that block is, why would the t track be needed on the outside of the fence like that? T track on the top surfaces and facing the work piece, I get for clamping the piece down.

 

[trainer]

If you don't have room for a full sized table saw, an inexpensive 10" bench saw can get a lot done. My first "table" saw was a delta 10" bench saw. Space isn't an issue because it gets stored under the workbench when not in use.

I used it to rip literally miles of planking when I built 2 cedar strip canoes.

I thought about getting rid of it when I got my new saw, but the little one is really handy to take with me. It's perfect to set up on the tailgate of my pickup and it will run on a 2500 watt generator.
The fence takes a bit of patience and the mitre guage is garbage, but as long as you understand the limitations, it works fine.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Not sure why the T track is there on that first sled, Trainer. Unless he had extra and decided to use it to make the block or box removable??
Mine are just glued on. Now go back and look at the one sled with no block and imagine that spinning carbide 10 incher coming through. Makes your hair stand up. Just know where blade is in relation to fingers at all times.

 

[Slednut]

So, any secrets on getting the cleat that runs in the track square to the fence when building a sled?

 

[turbowoodworker]

There are lots of tutorials and articles available for sled construction so I'll generalize.

1. hardwood runners that fit snug but slide smoothly in TS tracks

2. use a plane to get them just right

3. place them in tracks and lay plywood or MDF sled body over them

4. fix sled body to runners tightly but temporarily (nail or screw)

5. permanently fix runners with countersunk flat head screws.

6. permanently fix back fence to sled (this does not need to be square as it is not referenced to the blade or runner, it only holds the sled together, see step 8) NOTE: terminology, when I say BACK fence I mean the one farthest away from you when using the fence.

7. loosely fix front fence with two oversized screw holes for adjustment

8. run the sled though the blade. This effectively cuts the sled in half and it is held together by the two fences. Assumes that fence heighth is taller than blade.

9. make a cut and do dynamic test for square (cut a 1x3 then flip cut over and look for space. Repeat until the fence is absolutely square adjusting the fence each time. (no point in making a sled that is not perfect).

10. tighten two screws and add more to hold square

11. add block where blade exits fence at front fence

12. wax runners

Here are some youtube videos that illustrate, some in more detail:

 

[turbowoodworker]

Slednut,

I reread your question and as usual I went beyond explaining it.

To simply answer your question:

"So, any secrets on getting the cleat that runs in the track square to the fence when building a sled?"

You really square the fence to the runner. The runner is parallel to the blade, then make the fence square to the blade using the two screws and dynamic testing for square as described above.

Semantics?

 

[Slednut]

Thanks turbo.

 

[crguy]

I used a piece of steel keystock for the runner on my TS sled. Works like a charm, and doesn't wear out.

 

[ez-duzit]

I've been using the same sled for decades. It has only hardwood runners. Simple. Cheap. Of course I have a radial arm saw.

 

[bj383ss]

I need to build a new sled. I definitely will be adding the block for the saw blade to bury in.

So a tool I use everyday when woodworking at least is my shop Apron. Got this one off of Amazon. I have only had it since early this year but so far it works great. I had a craftsman one from many years ago but the straps finally bit the dust and it was too small for the present me.

20161209_191447 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

You also might notice my safety gear hanging around my neck.

I want to see what everyone else has.
Bret

 

[cheechi]

Here is a tip for those with pancake compressors. Go to HF, pick up one of those $7 dollies and put your pancake on wheels.

Ive done that before although my current Botsitch pancake is a bit wobbly on it so if yours is at all top heavy be careful.

I actually came here tonight to ask about sleds and zci. do you need a zero clearance to make a sled properly? currently i have neither and have been considering hdpe to do both.

 

[ez-duzit]

The sled, itself, is the zero clearance.

 

[cheechi]

well yes. I meant for example the runners. Are you going to have success making those runners on a table with its stock insert? or would having the zci already made be necessary (as opposed to just ideal) for that step?

 

[bj383ss]

Cheechi I would go ahead and make several ZCI's. They aren't that hard and really bring the safety of the saw up. Also consider putting a splitter in the back side of your main ZCI for added safety.

My favorite ones I made out of 1/2" plywood with a shellac finish on them. I have a hardwood Pecan splitter in the back. I also several sizes that fit different dado blade widths as well as a 45* angle cut.

DSCN4240 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

DSCN4241 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

To fit the splitter. After you cut the main kerf in it. Pull it out and line the fence up with the kerf and saw the very back of the ZCI. Some guys glue the splitter in but I make mine removable just in case.

DSCN4242 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Picture 257 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Here is my assortment. My first ones I made from 1/2" MDF which works well too. You can see how the big the opening is in the stock one that came with my saw(orange one).

Picture 258 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Hope this helps.

Bret

 

[turbowoodworker]

ZCI; another needed and important addition that makes the TS better. Nice assortment BJ.

 

[383]

I just read through the whole thread, what a great collection of information!

 

[ez-duzit]

I have never felt the need for a splitter. But use only carbide blades. Also have no finger holes, as it is a simple matter to press down on the back end and tip up the front.

 

[Boatman53]

Wooden runners on my table saw sleds. I believe they are Epi, very hard. I also set them in a shallow dado on the underside of the sled. In my use they will never wear out.
Jim

 

[turbowoodworker]

Hey Cheechi,

About HDPE. I find it unnecessary for most things in WW and it can be expensive. As a sled. very costly. As ZCI, maybe.
The place where it can be helpful is on the rip fence surface.

The sled can be made of virtually anything that is stable and slides. So MDF, good quality plywood, etc. I even made one of salvaged laminate covered OSB. The laminate is wood grain so it fits the motif of the wood shop and slides well.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Speaking of ZCI, as BJ383SS suggested, once you make one, the rest are easy. And make several at once to match different blades and uses such as the dado blade. It will really improve your cut quality when coupled with a quality blade.

I use the factory insert to outline the profile then cut it oversized on the bandsaw or jig saw. Then carpet tape the insert to the blank and rout profile with pattern/bearing bit. I like to cut a kerf for my splitter or add a wood splitter the size of the intended blade. (I do believe the splitter is a valuable safety piece for reducing kickback risk).

Clamp the insert to the table in place and slowly raise blade under power to cut slot to desired size with specific blade.

I will usually add screws for leveling the insert unless it fits perfect right of the bat.

 

[cheechi]

turbo you are generally correct. While my basement is about 40% humidity now, it can get to 80% in the summer and stay that way for a long time. Even though I may luck out with hardwood runners that won't swell past the point of usability in that, with my luck I wouldn't want to count on it. So I was thinking of making one sled with hdpe runners, or maybe also the inserts, rather than having to make many sleds over the years (my old one was osb & 2x4's and came out ok, but was destroyed in the move). Hoping to make this next sled a bit more precise and fancy and such.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Sorry Cheechi,

I misunderstood thinking you were using HDPE for entire sled body. It makes really good sense for runners though. Good idea.

 

[jimreed2160]

Turbo, Sled, and BJ--Thanks for the sled info. I had forgotten about mine and need to get it out and maybe upgrade it. I used it mostly when I was cutting brass bar stock on my TS. Even with a metal cutting carbide blade and the sled, cutting brass bar stock gave me the willies. BUT it worked great and does give your sawdust pile little gold sparkles.

BJ--Thanks also for the zero clearance throats. I use one on my bandsaw and need to make one for the TS. It is scarey beyond belief when a splinter falls in that gaping maw and gets in a fight with the blade. Why do all TS ship with a blade insert that was made for a dado blade???

Good info all around.

 

[jimreed2160]

Shop Organization

This thread has been a lot of fun so far. I really love sharing ww tips and seeing what everyone is up to. Some of my projects are quick and dirty and really live up to the "dirty" part. Seeing quality projects inspires me to add more quality to my work.

But keeping up with the new ideas has not been easy. It is not from the idea department as I have just begun to scratch the surface. The problems arise from a general lack of organization in my shop. I spend a lot of time digging things out and looking for stuff that I know I have. The question often is--WHERE?

I need working space for projects. As I looked around last week, I spied a poorly organized corner in my shop. Take a look for yourself.

This area needs to be clear because of the breaker box. But it is a large space that is underutilized. I knew I could do better. Much of my shop furniture is thrown together 2x4 "inspirations". They are inexpensive but do not make the best use of space. I decided I needed a toolbox. Most of them are made for mechanics but some can be adapted for woodworking.

During this cleanout, I threw away four chairs (future projects) and several stands. Throwing stuff out of a crowded shop is intoxicating as new space appears out of nowhere. Here is where I am so far.

I went to HD and dragged home a 46 inch, 200 lb rolling toolcart. It took two burly guys to wrestle it into the back of my Navigator. I used a furniture pad, ingenuity, balance and gravity to get it out safely. I installed the castors and wheeled it into place.

Now it houses my biscuit joiners, sandpaper, drill bit sets, and Dremel accessories. I am reserving the top for my small dial indicator and my sharpening plate. At some point I plan to make an oversized top of 2x lumber and mount a vise. I like the unfinished wood feel (current top is slick bamboo) and think a small overhang would help my knees.

This project started a chain reaction in my shop with ripples bouncing around to almost every corner. It is all good but takes time. I encourage others to take this holiday season to do shop organizing. Little or large, each organizing project will help you be more productive and enjoy your shop more.

 

[bj383ss]

I have never felt the need for a splitter. But use only carbide blades. Also have no finger holes, as it is a simple matter to press down on the back end and tip up the front.

Not only does the finger hole help pull it up I have read it helps the Dust Collector by allowing some air to move through. Don't know how true this is. I even saw one guy that put 3 finger holes in his as he swore it helped above blade dust collection.

turbo you are generally correct. While my basement is about 40% humidity now, it can get to 80% in the summer and stay that way for a long time. Even though I may luck out with hardwood runners that won't swell past the point of usability in that, with my luck I wouldn't want to count on it. So I was thinking of making one sled with hdpe runners, or maybe also the inserts, rather than having to make many sleds over the years (my old one was osb & 2x4's and came out ok, but was destroyed in the move). Hoping to make this next sled a bit more precise and fancy and such.

My experience with Humidity here in CTX is in the high 90's during July and August. I have never had any issues with my hardwood runners until this last August where we had a ton of unseasonal rain. It is usually very dry in August here. We had like 20+ something inches of rain. The sled on my Bandsaw got stuck as well as my router fence. First time that has ever happened here in 10 years.

Turbo, Sled, and BJ--Thanks for the sled info. I had forgotten about mine and need to get it out and maybe upgrade it. I used it mostly when I was cutting brass bar stock on my TS. Even with a metal cutting carbide blade and the sled, cutting brass bar stock gave me the willies. BUT it worked great and does give your sawdust pile little gold sparkles.

BJ--Thanks also for the zero clearance throats. I use one on my bandsaw and need to make one for the TS. It is scarey beyond belief when a splinter falls in that gaping maw and gets in a fight with the blade. Why do all TS ship with a blade insert that was made for a dado blade???

Good info all around.

Jim I think the blade slot is usually made so that you can make a 45* cut with it. But as you said it is very dangerous with small stuff.

Your shop corner looks much better. Look forward to the next area you tackle.

Bret

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: thanks all for the SLED tutorials and information. i'm learning what i need and some methods of use, but until i do so i'll probably have questions later. now i know what to look for which is a great start or i'll know what to make if i can't find one i like.

also i wasn't sure what the inserts are called covering the blades and BJ's wedge is the first one i've ever seen like that and preventing KICKBACK sure makes sense if it does.

JIM: as far as that corner maybe a nice 2 foot deep 8 foot high and maybe 8 feet wide shelving similar to HD's and Cosctco's racking like i use. that way you can store things above your new rolling tool box and above your drill presses either in clear boxes or some other organizer. i'd post a few pictures of my racks, but not picture ready today.

what you did looks great, but you can take that another step and have even more room and not get rid of and even have MORE STUFF with the big racks.

cheers

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: so i picked up a couple fairly used 10 inch miter saw blades today at a sale and the carbide tips had wax on them. is this standard to get back from a professional sharpening company or do tell?

i missed about 40 wood planes, but didn't want to venture out early in the snow so maybe another member her picked them up.

I also picked up the densest 1x8 that was 6 foot long that i've ever picked up. i bet it weighed close to 50-75 pounds. sorry forgot to take a picture and didn't buy it cause asking price was $43. any idea what kind of wood that might have been and it was a redish almost cherry looking, but thinking it was from South America.

cheers and hope all of you are having a great weekend.

 

[cheechi]

...using HDPE for entire sled body. It makes really good sense for runners though. Good idea.

Thanks. I have considered doing the whole thing out of hdpe actually, but if I do any more than the runners it may be the base. But most likely I won't, I do like to have some when I find it cheap in the form of cutting boards I buy a bunch I haven't done it in recent years though.

My experience with Humidity here in CTX is in the high 90's during July and August. I have never had any issues with my hardwood runners until this last August where we had a ton of unseasonal rain. It is usually very dry in August here. We had like 20+ something inches of rain. The sled on my Bandsaw got stuck as well as my router fence. First time that has ever happened here in 10 years.

Unless I happen on some random unlikely scrap of flooring, the only hardwood I could get around here is likely to be oak from Lowes.

 

[jimreed2160]

Drives--Heavy wood from South America that is pink. Hmm. Sounds like a nice cabinetwood. Does it have a perfume type smell when cut? Try sanding a small area and wipe it with turpentine so you can see the grain and color.

 

[pstemari]

Pretty common to get carbide tooling dipped in waxy plastic to protect the edges. It will usually peel off easily.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[turbowoodworker]

Drives, if the wood was that heavy and that color the first thing I think of is Brazilian Cherry aka Jatoba. But the going rate for Jatoba is about $10 per bd ft and that piece measures at 4 bd ft. So that would be retail at 43 bucks.

Jatoba has a sp gravity 43% higher and is 105% harder than red oak. The pictures on the internet show it considerably lighter in color than when it sits a while. I made a grandfather hall clock and it is dark red/brown now.

Not the easiest wood to work, so hard it is tough on tooling and the dust is really irritating, even between your fingers. I won't use it again as a primary wood.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Cheechi,
I hope you are never stuck buying oak from Lowe's. In the Triad, there is the Hardware store of NC in Gibsonville. Big selection and inventory.

https://hardwoodstore.com/how-calculate-board-footage

 

[Craptain]

I was also thinking Jatoba. I am using some right now and can vouch for the dust. More so as I am cutting it thin as edge banding for plywood.
Jatoba is a good wood to use for the runners on a sled, though mine use Ipe. Both very dense and stable but both can be hell on your tools. I have used both for building tables and due to characteristics was able to reduce dimensions to get a slimmer more delicate looking legs and frames.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk