Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[derosa]

My daughter had her first girl scout pinewood derby which led to a little shop time. After having her rough draw the shape I cut the car out on the bandsaw. I gave her a quick tutorial on the small belt sander before letting her smooth out the saw marks. Sander was a little high but she only needed to use the edge, getting her to realize that took effort as she wanted to use the top of the sander. Nothing went flying so she did well.
Next we broke out a spoke shave and shaped the edges and then filed them a little smoother, after showing her how to use them I let her go. We both sanded and she hammered the wheels on. She has a couple second place runs and finished middle of the road but the work was all her so a respectable finish overall for a first time. Have to edit with a picture of the finished product when I get one.

 

[jimreed2160]

Derosa--I love the girl-power in action. Looks like she had a good teacher. If that is the only project to ever come out of your shop, then the shop served its purpose. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[ScottsGT]

Whhhaaaatttt!!?? GS are now doing the PW Derby cars too?? Good for them. I had to let my daughter "build one" when my youngest was competing. It was obvious it was not build by a kid! LOL!

 

[rrich1]

@derosa: awesome. I had my daughter in to build a bird house last year. She had a blast.


Stanley plane is done and cutting fine! Very happy with it. The blade took a while to get into shape. Hopefully the father in law will like it.

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[derosa]

scottsGT- there were some obviously not made by kids, guy next to me talked about how he polished the plastic wheels and the nails that hold them on to make it faster. I understand helping; couple of the guys spoke of helping with the initial shaping then letting the kid go from there which just makes sense for 5-7 year olds but it defeats letting the kid learn and grow.

rrich1- nice to see a plane getting back to work.

 

[ScottsGT]

Even after my son moved on to Boy Scouts, I still showed up for two or three years at weekend "cut out day" to do all the initial carving with my jig saw. I've probably cut out 200 cars over the years for the old Pack.

 

[Locker537]

What is everyone using on their planes to keep the from future rust and corrosion after doing a restoration? Paste wax?

 

[jimreed2160]

rrich--Good job. The proof is in the thin shavings.

scotts--After 200 cars you should be able to cut them out blindfolded. I am sure they appreciated your help.

Locker--I use Johnsons paste wax. I have a dehumidifier in the shop and that helps. I keep most of the planes in plastic boxes inside. The outside bench planes brown stain on tops but the bottoms are in good shape if they rest on wood. Condensation is the problem.

 

[ScottsGT]

I'm new to this, but I'm giving Glidecoat a try.

 

[jimreed2160]

Scratching post

The post glue was dry enough after a few hours for work. It can continue to cure during the next week. I wanted a big tenon on the end so I marked it.

Then I marked the orientation and measured with a trammel.

The bandsaw drifted on the first cut (blade is getting dull).

So I recut it and slowed down the feed.

Add glue and there you are.

But I wanted to add some screws for strength. This is why you need the drill driver set. Put a drill bit in the drill for pilot holes and put a driver bit in the driver. Two tools makes the job go much quicker.

I found this screw/nail case at HD. The nail and screw boxes just fit. I keep sheetrock screws 1" to 3" on hand for projects like this.

I put 2" screws in each side and two 3" screws in the bottom.

When I test fit the carpet, I could see that it needed some support. Here it is. Notice the angle gauge.

That transfers directly to the saw.

Turns out that it was right on 20 degrees.

And from our trig class, we all know that the top angle is 70 (90-20). My saw stopped at 55 but that was close enough for a scratching post.

By this time it was getting pretty hot in the shop. I decided to go with an innovative design because it required less cutting of the carpet.

I think the customer is pleased.

Now I need to rub it down with catnip and seal the deal.

 

[rrich1]

@jimreed scratch post looks good and beefy.

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[ez-duzit]

...My saw stopped at 55 but that was close enough for a scratching post.

...

Saw stopped at 55 degrees? Come on! Why bother measuring the angle? I know you must have a handsaw.

 

[Autonomous]

I'm surprised you didn't change the other angle to 35

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[jimreed2160]

I love the coverage and concealment of carpet.

 

[jimreed2160]

OK. It came to me last night in a fever dream. I originally avoided the acute 70 degree angle because I thought the end would be too thin for screws. And then I had the Ah-Ha moment. I could have used a 70 degree angle and then cut the tip off. The piece would have fit AND I would have had a thick piece for the screws.

So I am sorry to offend the sensibilities of ww everywhere. It WAS pretty sloppy. I think karma got me for it anyway. During the build, I picked up some nasty splinters from the 2x4. I pulled most of them out while I was working but I kept feeling a stick when I put pressure on my thumb. That is a tell-tale sign of a splinter going deeper. So I went to Splinter Central.

The entry to the garage is a small hallway laundry/utility/pantry. I keep my good planes in the closet and use rolling shelving for pantry items. I convinced The Queen that we needed a table for folding and storing laundry in process and she agreed. I found the perfect table at HF. It also stores batteries, chargers and misc hurricane supplies. Here is the top bin.

Besides miscellaneous tools and flashlights, this bin holds magnifiers, tweezers, and forceps for splinters. I turned on the bright LED light and used the magnifier to find the offending piece of wood. It was really dug in and I went after it with the forceps.

So there is the gnarly shard. It was pretty big. I think I ripped the end off on my first attempt so it took a little digging.

I would encourage others to have a splinter area. Of course, maybe I am the only ww who is always in a hurry and thus a frequent recipient of subcutaneous wood products.

 

[Locker537]

Quick little picture dump of the planes from this weekend's yard sale score...

Not the best pictures, but it's better than nothing!

Stanley No 7
Here is the Stanley No 7 as purchased.

Rather rusty...

No name No 4?

The only marking on this plane is "MADE IN USA"

Thos L Appleton Vintage Plane

Pretty cool wooden plane! I intend to get the others to a working state, but not this one. It's going to be a display piece as of now.

Before vinegar bath

After vinegar bath

After some scrubbing and soaking, I washed them with baking soda and water, then dish soap and water, then gave them a wipe down in WD-40 and CLP to keep any new rust at bay. Given this thread, I'll likely hit them with paste wax next.

 

[Locker537]

Any advice on getting these tools into a nice workable yet preserved state is more than welcome!

 

[jimreed2160]

Locker--Nice score on the planes.

#7--This is the one I know the most about. It is a very desirable type 5-9. Closer inspection of the lateral lever would narrow it down. They were made from 1888-1902. Your next task is to wax everything and get the blade in order. Make the back flat and sharpen the bevel. If you want a jointer, then you are done. If you want a general use plane for smoothing and flattening, then you need to carefully remove a slight touch of material from each corner. Otherwise, the corner may dig into your project and leave a line.

#4 size--Unknown maker. Not a top of the line plane but what the hey. Sharpen that blade and use it. Sometimes planes can surprise you. It's always nice to have one around for rough work.

woodie--That looks like a fore plane, ie, Stanley Bailey #6 size. Used beFORE the smoother. It takes a little practice to get the hang of blade adjustment on woodies. I like to use a stick to tap the blade and a wooden hammer to tap the front (makes the blade advance) or tap the heel (makes the blade back off). Once you learn, the adjusting goes surprisingly quick. Woodies are fun to use because you have the wood on wood experience. It feels much different (nice) from a metal plane on wood. The ancient Romans used planes almost exactly like that one. Hey, why change if it works so well.?!?

 

[Locker537]

Thanks Jimreed! That's the plan. I could have used the jointer a few weeks ago when I built a simple outdoor bench!

I just watched the hour long Paul Sellers video where he restores a plane to his liking.

Tons of great information there!

 

[ez-duzit]

...I would encourage others to have a splinter area...

For digging out splinters I carry a sewing needle with me wherever I go.

 

[cheechi]

i have a round plastic 'needle kits', a carded set of 20-30 all different sizes, and an actual 'touch up kit' with a few colours of thread, all in my toolbox for odd situations. Different sizes of needles are really useful to have around.

 

[jimreed2160]

This little basket case arrived yesterday. It is a Stanley Bailey #3, type 11. Time for some derusting.

 

[Locker537]

Jim, that Bailey is looking a little rough! Curious to see how it restores!

 

[Craptain]

This little basket case arrived yesterday. It is a Stanley Bailey #3, type 11. Time for some derusting.

I think you may have a knob to fit it.

Do I spy welding on it?

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[ztorres]

Well almost done with the dresser.


I need some input. The wife wants handles on the drawers and doors and I don't know what style of handles to put on. Plus I need some input on feet for the dresser. I don't have a lathe so I need something that I can make with the bandsaw and router or something I could order. So if any one has some ideas let me know.


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[jimreed2160]

I think you may have a knob to fit it.

Do I spy welding on it?

Yeah, the knob was a no brainer.

The lever cap is welded (poorly) but I have some of those. The brass adjuster wheel is wonky from abuse. As luck would have it, I have all those parts cleaned up and ready to go. I was working on a type 11 a few months ago and discovered a crack in the main casting just as I was finishing up.

So now those parts have a home. Otherwise, this would have been a very bad acquisition.

 

[derosa]

Ztorres- how high are you trying to get it? Local ace by me has a couple different feet that could attach, likewise they have a basic pine knob that would work well.

 

[jimreed2160]

Zach--I have been pondering the feet and hardware. If you have $$$ to burn, go on line. If you just need something nice, go to your local box store.

As for the feet, perhaps a base is more appropriate. An easy and effective bottom would be a box like a toe kick. Make it 3 or 4 inches high and recessed on front and sides. Closed up keeps the floor cleaner and will leave less marks on the floor.

 

[cheechi]

zach I would go with 'medium' (kind of relative I guess) knob handles, double up on the drawers single on the doors. I have never minded paying good money for good hardware but I like salvage when I can. See if there is someplace near you, whether it's a building supply type salvage or an antique store that deals in enough restorations to have enough matching knobs and feet and such to make it worth making friends.

 

[ADNICK]

Zack:

Lots of options:

Here is my latest example, Jim will know where I got all the dowels ;-)

I've also made a variation with electric conduit.

Andy

 

[jimreed2160]

OUCH!

Derusting the #3 plane body was easy. I just dropped it into the tube and let the ER take over. Last night I cleaned it up.

The japan finish was mostly gone but the casting did not have any large pits. In fact, it looked great until I saw the side.

OUCH! Looks like this plane suffered a bench fall. Previous owner tried (unsuccessfully) to stop the crack. Then there is the other crack.

Oh well. I think the plane universe is telling me to get back to woodworking.

 

[cheechi]

I'm curious with a plane like that, and a crack like that;

how other than dropping it could that happen?

if it's repaired will it work less well? Are you concerned with the heat of welding it it won't be square or true anymore? or are you not a welder?

I assume its collectible value is the main reason that's a stopping point for you? are you mostly flipping these? It's ok if you're a plane snob I won't think any less of you. I have certain tools I'm snobbish about too.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I think the plane universe is telling me to get back to woodworking.

I think it's telling you you're trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

 

[jimreed2160]

I think it's telling you you're trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

cheechi--I started rehabbing planes to use. It got out of hand and I began flipping them. Many of the casting breaks do not affect use and I have used many planes with broken parts. BUT they are almost impossible to sell. The truth is that most early Stanley Bailey bench planes are worth much more in parts than in whole. It is supply and demand and I guess there are lots of broken planes out there. Of course, the pristine examples go to collectors and those planes get a premium price. But average grade bench planes are usually priced less than the sum of the parts.

 

[jimreed2160]

Assembling a kitty condo

OK. This is not fine woodworking. If you are looking for a dovetail tutorial, just keep moving. I am stuck in kitty land this week. There is more work because this big box arrived today via FedEx.

I wanted to build one myself but the kits were much nicer and less $$$. Here are the parts.

I was lucky to have two junior building inspectors on site to monitor progress.

It went together with bolts and studs. Pretty clever. I will borrow some of those ideas on future projects.

Finished in about 20 minutes. I used my own tools instead of the crappy allen wrench supplied.

And it was occupied almost immediately after completion.

It is always nice to have indoor projects when the shop is in the 80s.

 

[rrich1]

"Finished" the second half of the Father's day plane combo for my father in law. This is a wards master #5 jack plane. The handles are currently in paint stripper so I can refinish them. As you can see they are a little rough.

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[jimreed2160]

rrich--Outstanding job on the restore. Your FIL will be cruzin with some nice planes. Great gift idea. Beats socks by a mile.

 

[wrenchguy]

New 2 me, 24" planer. I been looking for years for a 24-36" planer for my live edge slab projects. Got it yesterday at a sale at good deal. Here are some ads about it. Photos later when i get it unloaded. 2100lbs. I imagine its over 100 years old.

 

[ScottsGT]

OSHA would love all those expose belts today! Waiting to see this one.

 

[rrich1]

That planer looks awesome. Can't wait to see actual pictures

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