Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[jimreed2160]

New (old) project

You long time readers may remember the old sewing box that I was working on.

So far I have made a drawer that replaced the pincushion, put feet on the bottom, and replaced missing trim on the small drawers. Remaining projects are to replace missing trim on larger drawers and make 1/2 of a missing rosette on the end.

Last time my daughter was here I showed it to her and she really lit up so I put it on the todo list. My new projects need to clear out room in the shop and this fragile thing really takes up too much flat surface space. So guess what zoomed to the top of the list?

I started this project like I start most--dig in the scrap pile--in this case I needed a walnut stick.

And I got a chance to try out my new (to me) pair of H&R planes. Years back I bought a partial set of Crow H&Rs from Patrick Leach. It is a nice high pitched set but was missing some of the smaller ones. Well as luck would have it, he found a pair of #2s and I grabbed those. It seems to be just the right size for this small piece of trim.

The planes are in good shape and needed only a little touch up. Of course, the round had a small back bevel as many H&Rs do. Craftsmen of yore did not have time to sharpen the profile so many of them just put a back bevel on the blade. Ugh. The way to sharpen H&R profiles is to use thin sandpaper on the sole of the matched plane and drag the bevel down the sole. For example, I needed to touch up the hollow bevel so I stretched sandpaper over the sole of the round and just drug the blade down a few times.

So I worked over the walnut using the H&Rs along with a Stanley #92 and finally got a match. Sorry for the poor photo.

Then I cut it free.

Here is the first trial fit.

And here they are after fitting with the glue drying.

Next comes the finish and then I can tackle the rosette.

 

[ztorres]

Just finished a picture frame for my wife.

Made from cherry I had left over from another project. I definitely remember why I don’t like miters, I always have issues with them coming together properly.


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[jimreed2160]

Nice frame.

 

[drivesitfar]

ZT: your cherry frame and picture looks great and i bet your bride will approve more tool purchases now too.

one thing that might help is squaring up your miter saw if you haven't already. here's a YouTube video that explains it or i'm sure there are others that might be quicker if you don't have 5 or 6 minutes, but it's the first one i clicked on maybe cause i own that saw.

speaking of which i noticed i'm about 1 degree off and i need to adjust mine before i cut and build something else, but that mailbox stand wasn't crucial to be exact like your picture frames are.

good luck and again nice work!!

 

[cheechi]

zach that is a nice frame. Way better than what I've done in the past.

Jim, a few questions.

can you discuss your thought process for choosing hickory vise inserts? Especially your thoughts about hard vs soft vs leather lined jaws.


that's a pretty close cut on the table saw without a sled or jig. How close do you generally go before you decide you're in no man's land? I typically stop at about the 1" range unless no other tool can do it, but that's arbitrary.

 

[jimreed2160]

zach that is a nice frame. Way better than what I've done in the past.

Jim, a few questions.

can you discuss your thought process for choosing hickory vise inserts? Especially your thoughts about hard vs soft vs leather lined jaws.


that's a pretty close cut on the table saw without a sled or jig. How close do you generally go before you decide you're in no man's land? I typically stop at about the 1" range unless no other tool can do it, but that's arbitrary.

Well I have never had a problem with damaging wood in a wood vise. My bench has beech faces and my Parker smooth jaw vise has steel jaws. Hickory is durable and I have lots of it around. But 90% of my work is end grain holding with bench dogs.

As for cuts, I do not encourage others to work without a guard or splitter. My ts technique is unconventional. I cut small things and even brass (with an appropriate blade). But I am careful and use a 24" push stick. I also turn off the saw after each cut. That spinning blade is scary and I guess that is why I like to use my planes more than my TS.

 

[R_einan]

Just finished a picture frame for my wife.

Made from cherry I had left over from another project. I definitely remember why I don’t like miters, I always have issues with them coming together properly.


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Good looking frame, Zach!

Try cutting matching miters from the opposite side of the blade, if you are only 1 or less degree off they will still meet up at a perfect 90 and nobody will see one degree. Without adjusting the saw that is. Just cut the opposing angle on the other side of the blade.

 

[jimreed2160]

Good looking frame, Zach!

Try cutting matching miters from the opposite side of the blade, if you are only 1 or less degree off they will still meet up at a perfect 90 and nobody will see one degree. Without adjusting the saw that is. Just cut the opposing angle on the other side of the blade.

Good tip. It should correct an imperfect adjustment.

 

[shortykorte]

Interesting tip R_einan. I'll need to remember that.


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[Teenager with old tools]

Swing: i've got some metal cabinets with the same sort of gap as your old library cabinets and i used several materials to fill them. that said if you are just going to store round bottles of booze and wine in yours those gaps would be PERFECT so the bottles won't roll around if the drawers open and close ok.

JIM: glad to hear your inventory specialist was notified of your over purchases of your wood vises.

i've probably got a few wood vises that need spiffing up or that are missing DOGS so I for one appreciate the posts on how you fixed your old Desmond.

Teen: i'm guessing you are leaving for the NAVY soon now so wishing you the best and hope you are able to get on line and at least keep learning and maybe commenting as you have time. did your brother sign up so he can see the pictures and maybe ask questions or post some of his projects yet?

Gonna set him up an account on Thursday morning. I found out I leave next wednesday. So I've got one last project before I go. I picked up walnut moulding to make a picture frame for the flag I have hanging on my wall. One piece had a knot and broke a bit so the pics are of fixing that but the piece doesn't look like it lines up perfectly so may just cut and glue in a full section of leftover instead of just a piece of what was cut on the first cut for the angle.

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[jimreed2160]

Teen--We will miss your posts. Good luck in your new venture.

I love the walnut and especially your patch! Once the finish is on it will be hard to spot. Good save.

 

[jimreed2160]

More moulding

So I cut the other trim piece today for the rosette. It was simple H&R work with some help from Stanley #92. Didn't take many pictures, but here is the finished stick.

And the finished rosette.

I finished up by getting out my dust collection system.

I need to apply some shellac and this one will be done.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Teen--We will miss your posts. Good luck in your new venture.

I love the walnut and especially your patch! Once the finish is on it will be hard to spot. Good save.

The lines aren't perfect but I think light sanding should help. What's a good finish for walnut?

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[jimreed2160]

When they cut down the big walnut trees in the 19th century, the wood was red like mahogany. Newer steamed walnut finishes brown. I like to add red or orange to it so it looks vintage. Thinned Red Mahogany Minwax works well. Today I am using amber shellac and it has enough yellow/orange in it to match the vintage pieces on my project.

 

[jimreed2160]

PHOTOBUCKET

I got another ransom note from PB this week. They cancelled my plan and I am not paying again. Looks like my pictures will be gone in 30 days. Time to find another hosting service.

 

[drivesitfar]

TEEN: i like the dark brown color of Walnut so maybe a clear might work well too. if you have a few scraps to try out the different colors or clear to see which ones you like for yourself that might be the answer.

if your little brother joins have him post up on this thread or tell us his handle so we can sort of help him if he might need some while you are in the NAVY.

teach him how to write posts and attach pictures and also let him know all people on the internet or GJ are not nice so he needs to grow a little thick skin to help avoid getting his feelings hurt.

best of luck on your new adventure!!

JIM: i've seen many many good sawdust systems just using a shop vac if you might want me to post up a few links, but i have to say a broom and clean benches does have it's appeal. it's just the fine dust that doesn't do any of us any good.

ALL: i'm setting up racks like they use at Home Depot and Costco in my backyard to get ready to stack up fresh cut clear cedar from the mill that i'll be getting next week for my new fence and deck job next spring/summer. i wish i had the space to store it inside, but using spacers and tarps it seems to do ok up here in the PNW so crossing my fingers this bunch of cedar will.

 

[jimreed2160]

Drives--Maybe you can use some scraps to keep the rack from rusting and staining your nice cedar.

 

[ez-duzit]

jr--try postimage. Free and very simple to use.

 

[drivesitfar]

JIM: even though all my cedar still needs to be planed i do not put my wet wood on my steel racks and I use plenty of 1x2's for spacers. i think i use about 5 per 8 foot section under each row if i have enough or for every 2 boards if i'm running short.

thanks though for the reminder and letting others know that sometimes the best wood stored wrong or not carefully won't survive.

ALL: do any of you store milled cedar or wood outside and do you paint the ends to keep it from cracking?

 

[turbowoodworker]

I came home to find the new Fine Woodworking Tools and Shops edition in my mailbox. It is a yearly extra issue that should be available in bookstores soon. I've mentioned previously my admiration for all things from Taunton Press but this issue is worth the wait.

There are some really good articles on topics that we have tried to address in this fine thread. "Build a Better Workbench" complete with the draw bore technique I so poorly explained a number of pages ago. "Tune your Table Saw", "Heating and Cooling your Shop" is a nice primer on minisplits, and a number of other good articles.

Pick this one up. I think you'll enjoy it.

 

[R_einan]

Thanks for the tip Turbo, I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. Sound like some good material.

 

[hpw]

I came home to find the new Fine Woodworking Tools and Shops edition in my mailbox. It is a yearly extra issue that should be available in bookstores soon. I've mentioned previously my admiration for all things from Taunton Press but this issue is worth the wait.

There are some really good articles on topics that we have tried to address in this fine thread. "Build a Better Workbench" complete with the draw bore technique I so poorly explained a number of pages ago. "Tune your Table Saw", "Heating and Cooling your Shop" is a nice primer on minisplits, and a number of other good articles.

Pick this one up. I think you'll enjoy it.

I subscribe to Fine Homebuilding and yes they do have a quality product

 

[jimreed2160]

Fine WW has kept up a quality product for a long time. I was a charter member and still have a pile of the old ones around. It is fun to go back to the 80s and see how things have changed in the market.

Here is the final shot of my sewing basket project. It is ready for delivery.

Time for a new project.

 

[jimreed2160]

Throwbacks

Since I have PB until the end of the month, I can post a few older projects before they get lost in the ether. Here is a shot of Barbie tables I made for a slew of granddaughters back in 2009. Cherry.

And here is one from one of my last blademaking runs. I did a batch of blades for those HF planes.

 

[jimreed2160]

More pictures

At one time I tried to conquer the world of chamfer shaves. Here is a group I sold to my ww buddies. The front one is a Preston. The middle once are Stanley and the green one is a Kunz. Guess what? The green one did not work very well.

Rare action shot of a Stanley #196 curved rabbet.

 

[jimreed2160]

Project

Here is a hatrack I made for one of my kids.

Carefully bending a lateral lever back into place.

This is a fuzzy picture but it shows how I built a frame for the router so I could flatten a tree stump round. It was later used as a wedding cake stand.

 

[jimreed2160]

How I sharpen cutters for my dowel machine.

A group of Windsor beaders.

Here is the Barbie table prototype.

Stanley door mortise plane.

Interesting Japanese hammer I rehabbed and a Japanese chisel I made a handle for.

Storage closet project. Pine and birdseye maple.

 

[jimreed2160]

Stanley Bedrock roundup.

Wedding cake on its stand. The sale of timber financed the wedding.

Rare action shot of Hamler plane.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jim: i woke up to a ton of pictures showing some of your projects and old planes so you were busy this morning. I can't seem to close my Photobucket account (I haven't actually tried very hard to yet), but can't you cut and paste your old pictures from PB back to your computer?

ALL: i didn't hear if any of you store milled wood outside so do you? also do you paint the ends of the boards to avoid cracks on 2 by and 1 by cedar? or just paint hardwoods? or do you stain the ends?

have a great day learning how to be a woodworker and not a wood butcher and sounds like there are some good books and magazines and youtube videos besides this thread to learn new methods too.

 

[Locker537]

Jim: Making me envious with all those bedrocks!

 

[jimreed2160]

Jim: Making me envious with all those bedrocks!

At least they all found good homes.

 

[R_einan]

Sorry drives, I have only stored construction lumber out doors, and never did much with it other than make sure it wasn’t directly contacting the ground and cover it from the weather. But that also isn’t freshly milled material.

 

[jimreed2160]

Angle divider

I was sitting in my recliner Sunday evening relaxing with the kitties and The Queen when I checked my email and saw that the mailman had dropped a surprise in the box. So I flip flopped out to the street and found a nice gauge. It is a thread gauge for both SAE and metric of common small size screws and bolts. I found a use for it just today.

I found this old General #835 angle divider on the shelf in the office and with the help of Mr Goofle, discovered that it was missing a piece on the toe. There is a tapped hole that is used to secure a cross member that is missing. My gauge said the required bolt was a #10-32 so I hustled over to ScrewNutBoltLand. I felt like a fool when I bought these sets years ago. It was a spur of the minute mail order thing that was extravagant at the time. Never thought I would treasure them through the years. Kudos to the procurement department.

Fits like a champ.

So I rushed into the grinding room to look for steel stock. Of course there is lots of new stuff on the walls. Multiple sizes. But I first scoured the floor and found the exact thing I needed.

It had raggedy and nasty edges. And the face you see is the GOOD side. Here is the other.

But a little grinding and filing got it worked up just fine.

Then I needed a hole. I smeared a spot with a marker so I could scribe the centerline. That is when I discovered that it was 6 1/8" long. I was eyeballing it from the pictures and it looked OK. But I ground the tip so it would be even and easier to mark.

So you know the drill--punch and drill. I had it secured in a woodscrew and the drill press grabbed it out and spun it around. Lucky for me that I always keep my hands away and was able to avoid a nasty cut.

It took a little more grinding and filing to make it fit snug but here is the money shot.

There was still some dark rust even though I cleaned it up during the fitting. After I was done, I dunked it in the Evaporust tank for an overnight spa treatment. It sure is nice to have a dedicated area for that. I keep a small luncheon meat container full of EV just for small parts. Handy.

 

[chrislehr]

I like the growth chart ruler! Did you use any tricks for the numbering?

Measured very carefully. Made a router jig to do the v grooves of three different lengths.



It clamps onto the board. The adjusting handle allows you to change to a different depth. I did longest to shortest so i risked less overcutting.

 

[drivesitfar]

Chris: I love the RULER you made for the kid's height and my mom still has pencil marks on her kitchen door jamb she won't ever paint over that are still readable in pencil after 55 years. good idea and i wish we would have done something like that for our 5 kids.

also if you have more pictures of your raised bed garden you made that would be great cause i've never seen an elevated one.

thanks

JIM: don't go for NEW STOCK on the shelf when you can just check the floor first.

 

[ez-duzit]

Tap & die sets normally come with a thread gage which can be used on both male and female threads. Also the taps and dies themselves can be used to check for thread size.

 

[R_einan]

Made some sawdust today, and got a good bit of the way along on the coffee table for my cousin. Got the legs tapered, the apron lap joints cut, and got everything dry fitted. I’m contemplating breaking the edges on the legs with a 1/4 round over bit before glue up, just to soften the corners a little.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Interesting joinery. Nice design work.

 

[ztorres]

Does anyone have a router cnc? I’ve been researching these extensively lately, and I was wondering if anyone here had some experience.


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[chrislehr]

Chris: I love the RULER you made for the kid's height and my mom still has pencil marks on her kitchen door jamb she won't ever paint over that are still readable in pencil after 55 years. good idea and i wish we would have done something like that for our 5 kids.

also if you have more pictures of your raised bed garden you made that would be great cause i've never seen an elevated one.

thanks

Thanks but it will be a bit. Rainy season just stared and make building a PITA. Just sealed it all up and will pick back up the next dry days.

The base is all cedar 4x4 and 2x4. I hope it holds the weight OK!