Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[ez-duzit]

My 12" x 18" granite surface plate I found on eBay for ~$50 with a local pickup not far from my shop. You can just see it peeking out from between the rotary table and lathe.

 

[jimreed2160]

flat plate. like for measurements and tool calibrations? Is it one of the granite ones or like the industrial resin ones or something else?

One of those things I've always wanted just because a lot of tool rooms I've been in don't have one.

Actually the flat surface plate is on the top of the bench. I keep a marble tile around for sharpening with sandpaper and that drawer is where it lives.

 

[jimreed2160]

Signs 2.0

So most of the original signs fell off. The magnet glue did not stick to the wood well and it did not stick to the tape well. And the tape did not stick to the wood well.

This morning I brought out the big gun and hot glued the magnets to the raw wood. That worked exceedingly well. Those suckers do not move.

While I was gluing, I finished up the batch of sticks.

The tape on front may still be a problem but time will tell.

 

[jimreed2160]

The version 2.0 signs are holding up well.

In the meantime, I took a few shots of the shop surface plates. Here is the main plate. It is a 9x12 and I made a cover for it using the box it was shipped in.

There is a smaller plate on the other bench. It has a dial indicator on it.

How about the unwrapped version?

These surface plates do not see a lot of use in my shop so I bundle them up to keep them clean. Now that I have some time, maybe I will upgrade the covers.

My woodworking has ground to a halt lately as I have been doing short projects. My wife, the Queen, is scheduled for surgery later this week and that will occupy much of my time for the next month or so.

We have many more ww topics to cover. I have been holding off on dovetails because the subject is so rich. It will take much time to cover. I want to upgrade my spare ww bench by providing it with a new top. I also need a spice rack for the kitchen. And I need to finish up the 18th century secretary desk project. Perhaps those tutorials will be easier now that the shop is better organized.

Spring is a busy time for all but be sure to post pictures your projects--large and small. It is enjoyable to see other woodworker's projects.

 

[Craptain]

I think I have the same granite surface plate as your larger one. I bought it on special at Woodcraft. More than accurate enough for anything that I do.

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[ztorres]

So finished up making some cutting boards this weekend, and did some thinking about buying some new tools.

I had been working on making a table saw for a while but the cost was really starting to add up. So after bout two weeks worth of research I bit the "bullet" and bought a Delta 36-725 contractor's saw. I read probably every review there was on it, there is a well written review on lumberjocks. I went to Lowe's and checked the saw out in person and really like it for the cost. Cast iron top with heavy steel wings that could easily be replaced by cast iron ones. The saw was easily setup and very well aligned. The other big thing was that it has a biesemeyer style fence and there isn't plastic all over it. Overall I'm really happy with this saw and it will probably save me some money in the long run.

The first thing I did was make two zero clearance inserts, one for just the blade and the other for the dado stack. This was a little tricky because the stock insert is bout 3/16" thick. But I was able to get a couple made out of red oak.


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[ez-duzit]

z--these are pretty good. I have an early one in which I keep a 1/2" carbide dado.

 

[jimreed2160]

Zach--Nice saw. It should provide a nice injection of quality into your projects.

 

[cheechi]

Actually the flat surface plate is on the top of the bench. I keep a marble tile around for sharpening with sandpaper and that drawer is where it lives.

that's how I do it too, I bought a separate one as a flat reference until I get my hands on a 'real' flat plate.

In the meantime, I took a few shots

That's how I usually work on projects and do cleanup too.

 

[ez-duzit]

Some here might remember that a few months ago I had bought (most of) a large, floor model mortiser, the Powermatic 720HD. Among the missing parts was the entire table assembly. For mortising very large items, such as doors, the table is removed and the workpiece is supported by another mechanism, which had come with this machine. In the case of my machine the table had been removed and misplaced.

Before buying the machine I had checked with Powermatic to make sure that the missing and/or damaged parts were still available. Everything was in stock except the cast iron table, which they ordered from Taiwan. That table finally arrived today. So I believe I now have virtually everything necessary to complete the assembly and restoration, with the exception of some locally available machine screws.

Among the missing parts, besides the entire table assembly, were the operating handle, the gas spring which raises the mortising head, chisel bushings, chuck key and, of course, a set of Powermatic hollow chisels from 1/4" through 1/2" (it came with a 1/2" chisel and the associated bushing). In addition to the missing parts, the rubber bellows, which protect the X and Y dovetail ways, were falling apart; so these replacements were ordered as well. Their replacement handle was unrealistically expensive, though I purchased the rubber grip. So I will make one from the length of 1" stainless tubing (shown) by turning the end down, on the lathe, to 25mm.

One photo shows the parts I have so far collected. Another shows the machine as purchased and partially disassembled for transport. I will also post a net photo so anyone interested can see what the completed machine looks like. It is a large machine that runs on 220-volts. What sets it apart from the smaller mortisers is that the mortising head moves in X and Y, rather than a small table moving the workpiece.

 

[jimreed2160]

EZ--That Powermatic is one serious machine. I forsee many M&T joints in your future.

 

[happymachinist]

Well I got my No 7 finished up a few days back. Sole flat, iron sharp and tote finished/repaired. Also figured I better include some shavings.

It's definitely gonna take some getting used to...This thing is quite a bit larger than I'm used to and the balance is totally different. My first pic compares it to my No 3

And for reference the tote before I glued in the dowels

 

[ez-duzit]

hm--sole looks beautiful. Odd choice of wood for tote repair. But workmanship looks great.

 

[Autonomous]

Tote repair looks nice with the 2 tone. It says "I'm not hiding anything, I was saved from the burn pile by someone who saw something worth saving".

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[jimreed2160]

I repair my totes with walnut and blend it into the rosewood. They are very compatible. BUT I like the personalization with bright "racing stripes." My user #4 has a front knob I made from walnut, a blade I made from O-1 steel, and a bright brass lever cap that someone cast. One of a kind. Good work on your personalization.

 

[jimreed2160]

I managed to snag a few pictures before today's hospital journey. Surgery on the Queen is at 5:00am tomorrow.

Sometime in the late 19th century, Amos Fales had a fever dream and came up with an outrageous plow plane system. He believed in his invention so much that he patented it in 1881 and talked Otis Smith into making it. This was a very large manufacturing task because the complete plane system had over 240 separate parts. Otis manufactured and sold (or tried to sell) this plane system from about 1880 until 1917. Their complicated product was really good but never really set the market on fire. Stanley Tool Works crushed them with their less complicated #45 plane and turned the Fales/Smith plane into a toolbook footnote.

Well I really appreciate what Amos did. Unlike the #45, his plow plane has a real sole instead of runners and his blades cut on a slight skew. One day I will get mine into operation and enjoy the fruits of his active imagination. Until then, I am content to admire the box of stuff on my rehab shelf. Here is the base plane with its fence.

You may notice that the fence can also hold a blade for those complex moulding operations.

Here are two bodies which illustrate how the interchangeable soles work. The sole is actually two separate pieces.

And here is the box-o-parts. It takes three pieces for each different blade--two sole pieces and one skew blade piece.

I need to do a rust treatment first. Then I can measure and sort the sole pieces into matched pairs and find the associated blade. Next task is to sharpen the existing blades and make new for the ones that are MIA. I need to devise some sort of case to hold everything separately. Sounds custom to me.

Maybe I can have a fever dream of my own like Amos and devise the perfect case. There will surely be some fitful nights in my near future.

 

[GForceJunky]

Jim, that sounds very interesting and looks like a handful. Do you have any pictures/documentation/literature/etc. showing what this would look like in action/complete?

 

[ez-duzit]

Jim--to the aspiring woodworker my tip would be to AVOID such complexities as this latest project of yours. And leave them to the avid collector of antiquities.

 

[jimreed2160]

Jim, that sounds very interesting and looks like a handful. Do you have any pictures/documentation/literature/etc. showing what this would look like in action/complete?

Well the top picture shows a correct blade with correct sole pieces and a complete fence. Sharpen the blade and cut away.

I have never seen pictures of the Fales in action but will put it on the post-op list of projects. Looks to me like it will be a GJ exclusive!!

 

[jimreed2160]

Well here is a news flash. The Queen's surgery has been postponed and may be replaced with a much less invasive procedure. WooHoo!

It is tough to see the love of your life go through this stuff. But it may all turn out OK in the end. Getting old is not a cakewalk and every day in the shop is precious.

 

[ADNICK]

Very nicely done


Andy

 

[cheechi]

whenever I see a Powermatic in pieces its like a giant brought low. Most things I like to see how they work on the inside, but with those, they present such an image as a machine. Really beautiful.

 

[ez-duzit]

ch--yeah, because it weighs ~500 lbs, we disassembled it to make it easier to transport. I'd like to get a mobile base for it.

 

[jimreed2160]

Evaporust

I have had this bottle of Evaporust for about 4-5 years but never got around to using it. Today was the day. I needed to mow the weeds and unattended rust removal seemed just the thing. So while I was mowing, here is what was going on in the shop.

Here are the candidates--rusty soles for the Fales plane.

I put about half of the small sections into a deli meat container.

It took about six hours to eat the rust away.

So then I took them into the kitchen and washed them in hot water and Dawn.

I dried them with paper towels and put them into a bowl.

And I put the bowl into the toaster oven.

Normally I use a cookie sheet and put it into the big oven. BUT there is a six pound standing rib roast in there right now.

They come out a little hot to the touch but really DRY.

And they are ready to rust again, so I give them a spa treatment of 3 in 1 oil.

I slather on a thick drippy coat with my fingers--careful to get oil into every nick and cranny. Then I usually let them soak overnight. I have another batch in the Evaporust now. I will clean them up tonight and oil them. Then I can do the big wipedown tomorrow.

This is my first time with Evaporust. I normally use citric acid. This treatment seems easier because it is unattended. Must get more of this stuff.

 

[My Old Tools]

I managed to snag a few pictures before today's hospital journey. Surgery on the Queen is at 5:00am tomorrow.

Sometime in the late 19th century, Amos Fales had a fever dream and came up with an outrageous plow plane system. He believed in his invention so much that he patented it in 1881 and talked Otis Smith into making it. This was a very large manufacturing task because the complete plane system had over 240 separate parts. Otis manufactured and sold (or tried to sell) this plane system from about 1880 until 1917. Their complicated product was really good but never really set the market on fire. Stanley Tool Works crushed them with their less complicated #45 plane and turned the Fales/Smith plane into a toolbook footnote.

Well I really appreciate what Amos did. Unlike the #45, his plow plane has a real sole instead of runners and his blades cut on a slight skew. One day I will get mine into operation and enjoy the fruits of his active imagination. Until then, I am content to admire the box of stuff on my rehab shelf. Here is the base plane with its fence.

You may notice that the fence can also hold a blade for those complex moulding operations.

Here are two bodies which illustrate how the interchangeable soles work. The sole is actually two separate pieces.

And here is the box-o-parts. It takes three pieces for each different blade--two sole pieces and one skew blade piece.

I need to do a rust treatment first. Then I can measure and sort the sole pieces into matched pairs and find the associated blade. Next task is to sharpen the existing blades and make new for the ones that are MIA. I need to devise some sort of case to hold everything separately. Sounds custom to me.

Maybe I can have a fever dream of my own like Amos and devise the perfect case. There will surely be some fitful nights in my near future.

That is a very unique find, more so with all the pieces.

 

[jimreed2160]

I am almost finished with the Evaporust experiment. It is working well and I hope to do some test cuts with the plane next week. In the meantime, I am continuing to repair totes. One of the issues I have is clamping them in position properly so the glue will dry. If only there were a better way to hold at least part of it. Bingo! I had a idea and went looking in the boneyard for a broken #5 sole. It did not take long to find one. I cut it behind the frog and drilled three holes in it.

Then I attached the sole to a very large woodscrew.

The test drive with an old tote went well. I installed a rod for stability and fastened the tote using the toe screw. When repairing a tote, I can adjust the top angle to a perfect sweet spot and hold it tightly while the glue dries.

I have needed something like this for a long time.

 

[jimreed2160]

Fales plane cleanup--continued

It has been an Evaporust weekend around here. I finished cleaning up the Fales plane parts and even threw a type 4 Stanley #45 in for a soak.

Here are the Fales parts after sorting.

There are 86 blade set parts in all. That includes a couple of sets I had in the boneyard. On the left are the hollows. This group also includes bead cutters. I put a piece of paper with a description of missing pieces.

In the middle are the flat soles. These cutters are used for grooves and dados.

On the right side are the round sets.

The patent documentation notes that craftsmen can make sole parts and blades for their planes. I might have to get some angle iron and take Mr Fales up on his suggestion. I do intend to make up the missing blades as that part will not be too hard.

I guess the next step is to sharpen some cutters and go for a test drive. Stay tuned.

 

[ADNICK]

Jim:

Tote jig is very clever....


Andy

 

[jimreed2160]

Jim:

Tote jig is very clever....


Andy

Thanks Andy. I hope it works well.

And of course, I have trouble throwing stuff away. Ditto with the plane body. I found it this morning on the cutting room floor. It was just too pretty to throw out so I ground it smooth. Perhaps some ww NEEDS a #5C, type 9 paperweight.

 

[jimreed2160]

Fales plane goes back to work

I guess the 1880s were high times for the planemakers. Stanley released its Miller combo plane in 1870 and the very clever Justus Traut designed skew combo plane in 1873. It was into this heated stewpot of multibladed plow planes that Otis Smith tossed his hat in 1880 with the Fales plane. Amos Fales was certainly taken by Stanleys #46 skew plane and by the way it worked. His plane has a smaller skew angle--still effective but probably easier to produce.

I am not surprised to see many H&R attachments as well as loads of bead cutters. Anyone who has cut beads with a combo plane knows how Mr Tearout can ruin the party. In fact, I even made a prototype bead cutter for my #46. What works on straight cuts should also work on beads. But no. The #46 bead cutter was veeeerry hard to mill and it did not seem to have less tearout than regular #45 cutters. I was very disappointed because I thought I had discovered one of the secrets of the universe. At least I did not pour thousands of $$$ into it like the sucker Otis Smith did.

Anyway, I sharpened up one of the blades and got the plane ready for a rabbet. This is one of the wider cutters, maybe 5/8", and you can see that I have attached the two sole plates.

Here is a close up of the end of the blade. It is stamped:
OTIS A. SMITH
ROCKFALL CONN

Time to get this 100 year old plane back into service. The full width sole made adjusting blade depth a snap. I was excited as I ran it down the board. It handled well and the shavings--well, the shavings were !!!!!!!!!!

I was totally tickled with the wispy and curly shavings that emerged.

So I guess you could say that I had a pleasant weekend. I rehabbed the cutter set and got this plane back into service.

 

[cheechi]

the last photo the messy bits on the side there. Is that a machined surface that's meant to go up against another surface to square up an edge? whether if so or not, is cleaning up parts like that generally part of your rehab process? It looks like it's functional now but I wonder if that were flattened/polished/clean would it add any more function than what you have now?

 

[jimreed2160]

the last photo the messy bits on the side there. Is that a machined surface that's meant to go up against another surface to square up an edge? whether if so or not, is cleaning up parts like that generally part of your rehab process? It looks like it's functional now but I wonder if that were flattened/polished/clean would it add any more function than what you have now?

Sorry for the confusion. I was only cleaning and derusting the soles and blades. I have four of the planes and two of the fences in another box. I have not gotten around to cleaning up the planes or fences. But yes, I will have to clean them up and wax them.

In addition, I noticed the handle is loose on the plane I was using. Part of the rehab process will be to tighten that down. Maybe it needs a better screw.

You have sharp eyes!

 

[visedog]

I converted an 8" bench vise into a dedicated woodworking vise and mounted it flush with the table. Some tweaking is still to be done for the height of the front jaw wood facing.

 

[PeterT]

The Woodwrights shop television program is simply brilliant

 

[jimreed2160]

I converted an 8" bench vise into a dedicated woodworking vise and mounted it flush with the table. Some tweaking is still to be done for the height of the front jaw wood facing.

Clever conversion. Let us know how it works out. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

The Woodwrights shop television program is simply brilliant

I love that show! I get up early every Saturday just to watch that and Woodsmith Shop, followed by This Old House.

 

[ez-duzit]

...One of the issues I have is clamping them in position properly so the glue will dry...

Tip--for this kind of repair, wherever a piece is hard to clamp, use a good epoxy glue, like WEST System; just tape the parts together with masking tape. No clamping pressure is needed.

 

[jimreed2160]

EZ--I have always used Titebond III to repair totes. I guess because I use it on all wood. What are the advantages of epoxy over Titebond?

 

[jimreed2160]

Stanley #45 combination plane

Waaaay back in the fall, I got a deal on a Stanley #45 family. They were in pretty rough shape but the price was right.

The jewel was the one in the front. Remember the pictures of the fence?

It is a type 2 and that means it was made between 1886 and 1887.

Well fast forward to our little Evaporust experiment. During the intervening months I have had time to acquire additional parts--one of which was a nicer body. And now our plane is cleaned up.

The decorative fence has much of its original japan finish remaining--even after 130 years.

There was a cutter with it. It was an original because it had relieved sides. I sharpened it and put the plane to work.

Pretty good work for an old geezer like this one.

 

[ez-duzit]

...What are the advantages of epoxy over Titebond?

In this case, no fancy clamping schemes are needed, as no clamping pressure is required (just tape the pieces together).

Other advantages are:

High strength.
Gap-filling qualities (assure strong joints even where mating surfaces are imperfectly fitted).