Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[ez-duzit]

...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.

Do the round-over after assembly and resist the urge to round over the entire corner. If you stop it at just the right point it will have greater impact.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Einan, one of the best parts of woodworking as a hobby is trying lots of different methods of joinery. I'm not sure if you've done that complex corner lap before but it is very cool. I use mortise and tenons for almost everything but I go out of my way to make them with adifferent tchnique in every project (router, hand cut, m&t chisels etc.).
I think variety and innovation is what draws me to woodworking over and over.
Nice project you have there.

 

[jimreed2160]

Angle divider continued

The overnight soaking in evaporust did its job--kinda.

The rust was gone and replaced with black residue and staining. I hit it with the buffing wheel and got it shiny again.

Ready to go back to work.

 

[jimreed2160]

Mirror frame repair

Loyal readers will remember the catastrophic accident that happened to my mom's mirror (emphasis on the CAT). One of the little acrobats jumped up on the mirror and the hanger tore through the sheetrock. Yes, it was heavy and I took my licks for not hanging it with multiple hooks. But the thing had lots of memories. I was with my parents at about age 5 when they bought the frame and mirror at an antique shop. I was raised looking at it and it last hung in my moms bedroom. So of course I needed to give the repair a shot.

To bring everyone up to speed, the frame pieces are intact. I glued a crack and replaced a divot on one side. The top/bottom piece is problematic. It had a bad crack at the site of an earlier repair. And the earlier repair was only fair because the wood there is very thin. So I decided to glue a strip of veneer to the back to stiffen it up. The frame is very old heart pine and has a delicious reddish brown color. I thought cherry would stain well and look appropriate so I found a piece of 3/8" that was long enough.

I needed to prepare the rabbet and also take out defects on the veneer that I sliced up with the table saw.

And here is the glue up.

The veneer provides a good backing for the long splinter that broke loose. I still need to add a small patch when I am done. My plan is to carefully trim the veneer from the rear to reduce its thickness. I will orient the new mirror so the proud strip is at the top where a slight difference in thickness should not be noticeable.

 

[jimreed2160]

Archimedian drill

Found this today in the boneyard. The gizmosity factor is off the chart. It has a tapered square chuck and operates by holding the bottom ring and pull/push from the handle.

One of the original cordless drills.

 

[drivesitfar]

JIM: love the GIZMO drill thingy.

since you said you used your buffer do you just use a dry cleanish pad or do you put compound on it for buffing and shining up your steel and metal stuff?

keep up the great work out in your shop and i'm guessing since it's getting cold and wet up here that your weather is about perfect 75 now so enjoy.

cheers

Chris: no hurry on the pictures and methods you used to make your raised bed garden box, but just take a lot of pictures if you can and post them when you have some time to.

thanks

ALL: does anybody store their lumber or wood outside and any tips to keep it from cracking, rotting and bug free?

 

[jimreed2160]

Buffing and polishing

Actually what I use is a nylon fiber polishing wheel. Kinda like a wheel version of Scotchbrite pads. You can get the real thing or a knock off like this one from Amazon


https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a15122800ux0618-Abrasive-Polishing-Buffing/dp/B01DKABIOI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1510247592&sr=8-2&keywords=nylon+fiber+polishing+wheel&dpID=61chjesJHXL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I have an extra grinder and mounted the wheel on it.

 

[drivesitfar]

Jim: thanks and i think i'll put one of that kind of wheel on my baldor buffer and see if i can shine up a few things myself.

ALL: this is just a small pile of lumber i have and i'm getting ready to store several thousand board feet of almost clear cedar so just curious if i need to do anything special other than spacing them to keep them from rotting, bug free and from splitting or warping?

cheers and thanks in advance for any advice or tips before i do a google and/or youtube search.

 

[Craptain]

Drives. I like to space between each layer. Just thin sticks to allow air. Mostly for drying, but depends on how long you are storing it.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[drivesitfar]

Craptain: me too especially when storing wet wood from the mill through our wet winter. thanks

i'm not sure exactly how maybe commercial racks full i'm storing, but it will be at least a couple if not 3 or 4 cause i haven't seen my order yet for cedar fencing and 2x6 decking.

here's a dry milled cedar 2x8 that i stored for a few years and after a few swipes with my planer i think it cleaned up pretty well. once i get set up i have a bigger planer for edges and for wider stuff that i'd like to be smoother.

 

[BMR24]

Drives I don't know what material is best but I have herd that board ends should be painted or waxed to prevent checking. I think I remember reading somewhere that you want the board ends to breathe but not too much.

 

[jimreed2160]

Drives--I would be uncomfortable storing that much lumber in a solid bundle with no way for air to circulate. Stored as singles, boards can last decades but not stacked in a close bundle. Stickers are the way to go--get some cheap furring strips and rip them to 1". Or sacrifice some of your cedar. You may lose a few boards to stickers but you will save the majority of your stash.

 

[jimreed2160]

More PB archived pictures

Here is an interesting shot. Kids, do not try this at home! I made a dozen extra thick blades and matching lever caps for Stanley #40 planes back in 2012. Here is a shot of cutting the brass to size.

I made a jig and used the miter gauge. The brass is HOT GLUED to the jig and the saw has a special brass cutting blade.

After tapping, sanding, and milling, the lever caps were ready to use. Here is a photo of two.

The one on the left is about halfway done. The one on the right is ready to go to work.

And here is a shot of the planes that I was working on.

 

[jimreed2160]

PB archives

I found this sequence from 2010 pictures. It is a Bedrock #604 that I got dirt cheap because someone broke the knob post and left the stump in the boss on the sole.

I have successfully fixed quite a few of these. First I start at the mill and use a tiny carbide bit.

Then I graduate to a larger drill--one that is just slightly undersized for the screw. If I am lucky, it will drill out the screw, maybe kiss the edge of the boss threads and leave thread shards from the post.

As you can see, it was a tad off center so it kissed the boss threads and left post threads on the opposite side. I removed those with the needle nose pliers and the nail.

All clean now. Notice the fragments.

Time elapses and we are ready for shavings.

Time to put it back to work. This is fun.

 

[jimreed2160]

Citric acid

Before Evaporust I used citric acid to strip rust. It is not a bad way to go but the EV is just a little easier. Here is how I did the citric acid. Interesting shot in our pre renovated kitchen.

Add one gallon of HOT water to the kitty litter bucket. To the water, add one cup of citric acid. Don't do it the other way around. Always add acid to water to prevent exothermic reaction.

Stir to dissolve the citric acid. Drop your grease free items into the solution and let them soak for a few minutes. Scrub brushes remove scale and speed up the process. If you have a moderately rusted plane and hot water, the whole process takes about ten minutes. Weaker solution and cooler solution and more rust just add time.

After citric acid bath, wash items with Dawn and warm water to neutralize the acid. Dry and put into a warm oven. The cast iron will begin to rust immediately. As soon as it is dry (2-3 min), coat liberally with 3 in 1 oil and let it sit on newspaper overnight. Wipe off excess in the morning with fresh paper towels. Reassemble and make shavings.

My sessions were usually just a few planes and took less than an hour from start to finish.

 

[drivesitfar]

BMR: thanks and i think i have a jug of something a woodworker gave me a few years ago for putting on the ends of wood, but didn't know if i should use it. and i probably have 30 half empty buckets of paint and stain i could use so i'll keep asking and start Googling soon for more answers.

Jim: I usually do sticker all the wood i get fresh off a saw at a mill, but thanks for the reminder. these 3x10's that are 14 foot i just picked up to use for stairs, but the ends i'll cut up and make tops for this fence i'm going to build next spring or summer when it quits raining.

maybe that's why i never throw any scraps away?

have you tried to save your old PB pictures before they disappear? thanks for posting up all the cool stuff you've been posting BTW.

 

[BMR24]

Drives if you find any affirmative information on what to coat board ends with please post it so that I know what is best to use when I start drying out lumber someday

 

[drivesitfar]

BMR: DEFINITELY I will. i stored maybe 1000 board feet of 1 and 2 by material along with 6x6's and 8x8's for maybe 4 years now and with nothing the 1 & 2 by's don't seem to be cracking or warping cause i stored them for a year on slats or spaced each row. the 6x6's and 8x8's some are cracking which might never be avoided if using heart wood so i'll check on that.

i still think that there is a better way so as i learn i will share as i do.

ALL: here's the end of the 3x10's i picked up and you can see the horrible cracking and why i have to use portions of them for small pieces of fencing instead of some great steps off my deck. i thought i had other pictures, but in this one you can see the damage of a split that maybe could have been avoided with better care.

 

[shortykorte]

A WW 101 question.
I see the use of a crosscut sled used to cut narrow boards in place of the miter saw. What's up?
I assume most WW doing this don't have a miter saw by choice or room for one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jimreed2160]

A WW 101 question.
I see the use of a crosscut sled used in place of the miter saw. What's up?
I assume most WW doing this don't have a miter saw by choice or room for one.

Interesting question. I am sure the sled guys will chime in. The table saw came first but the miter saw has been nibbling at its business. I like crosscuts on the miter saw because they are very safe. But they are limited to the size of the blade and that leaves out wide boards and panels. I think the track saws are nibbling at that business. Are the days of the table saw numbered?

 

[ez-duzit]

For moldings, frames and trim a wooden miter box is all you need for 90* and 45*. For wider material a radial arm saw or table saw sled.

 

[jimreed2160]

PB archives

Here is one with lots of gizmosity. It was restored well by previous owner.

 

[jimreed2160]

Redneck spraybooth

Here is a little late night ww humor.

 

[jimreed2160]

My friend John

I once worked with a really nice guy named John. His favorite saying was, "It's your dream so make it as big as you want." And then he would chuckle because he always said it when I started a sentence with, "I wish..."

So when I had to make a replacement knob for a #45, I remembered John. Those dinky #45 knobs really frost me. Why so small? Who has those hands?

First I measured the post.

Then I turned a large ball.

And drilled a hole.

I smeared glue on a rag that covered the post and then screwed the oversized knob in place.

 

[jimreed2160]

Setting Japanese chisel hoops

Setting the hoops can be daunting but it is really not hard. Most chisels arrive with the hoops sitting on the end.

First you remove the hoop and take the gunk off the end.

Then you pound the end using a ball pein hammer and an anvil. This step is necessary to compress the wood.

Sometimes the hoop needs a little attention. It should have a larger diameter on one end and should be free of burrs.

And then you drive the hoop onto the end, leaving a little meat. I put the sharp end of the chisel on a piece of wood and drive the hoop on with an end grain block. Kinda like driving on a barrel hoop. Or I put it in a vise.

When the hoop is in place, you can use a hammer to bash the wood around the hoop to provide a cushion. Then you soak the end in 50/50 BLO and turp.

These instructions are a little inexact because hoops are set to the users preference. Once you use your chisels you will find something you like and can set all of your hoops to match. I like just enough meat to cover the hoop. But I use a softer touch and don't whack my chisels enough to create sparks. YMMV

 

[jimreed2160]

Bodgers Bench

In merry ole England, bodgers used a makeshift bench in the woods and carved chair legs with a drawknife. They would bundle up a days work and tote it into town for sale to local chairmakers. Their bench pinched the stick in place with a foot activated lever. It was a production setup and they made dozens a day.

I wanted to have my own bodgers bench so I designed my sawbench to convert quickly to a bodgers bench and do double duty.

The add on wedge piece fits on top and the frame is held in and rotates on a threaded rod that goes thru the frame. Just straddle the bench, push the frame with both feet and the top clamps your stick in place. Now you can whittle away.

 

[hammlm]

Jim: Your experience with, expertise, and restorative prowess in world of planes is absolutely stunning to me.

 

[jimreed2160]

Jim: Your experience with, expertise, and restorative prowess in world of planes is absolutely stunning to me.

Well (blush) thank you kind sir. I enjoyed the romp through my Photobucket archives. It showed me that I need a more permanent home for projects and I am working in that direction.

 

[rlitman]

Interesting question. I am sure the sled guys will chime in. The table saw came first but the miter saw has been nibbling at its business. I like crosscuts on the miter saw because they are very safe. But they are limited to the size of the blade and that leaves out wide boards and panels. I think the track saws are nibbling at that business. Are the days of the table saw numbered?

I have both a miter saw and a TS sled, and find that each has some advantages. I don't have a track saw though.

I've got a DeWalt 12" sliding miter saw, and it's reach is still less than I can get with my Incra sled on my TS. There's inherent inaccuracy when you need to flip a piece to finish a cut, so for cutting something like a drawer bottom, the sled wins.

The TS's dust collection works better. Most of the dust gets pulled into the slot into the cabinet (depending on the type of cut). On the miter saw, the dust is thrown up and back, and while I have increased the vacuum port size to something at least 5x the original size, dust still flys around it.

The miter saw ***** at dado cuts. I use a height gauge to set my TS blade, and can use the TS sled to make tenon cross cuts where the miter saw just wouldn't be a good idea. (And I have a tenoning jig to make the tenon cheek cuts, but that's done against the fence, and not on the sled).

But these are all "exceptions". For most cross cuts, I use the miter saw.

 

[cheechi]

I have a depth stop on my miter saw (Hitachi C12RSH) that uses a M8 I think so I just have a collection of bolts of different lengths. The original knob they use for the depth stop has a big plastic 'knob' for the head and it's too wide to get down in there and really raise the depth to anything usable.

It's funny that a few weekends in a row we made a TS sled, then used the miter saw to make clamp racks that the sled would have been perfect to use instead. I like having options but I am much more a 'miter saw guy' than a 'table saw guy'

I gave up on trying to get the dust collector to do a better job with the miter saw though, as mine isn't as well designed for dust collection as some, although generally miter saws do **** categorically at dust control. I got the Fastcap saw hood pro, put a 5 gal bucket under the bottom hole and now only the fine dust that the vacuum never caught anyway is what escapes. It takes up space, but its able to be folded up and put in a bag unlike if I had made it into a cabinet.

 

[CSRPenFab]

Over the years, I've acquired a pretty wide variety of wood pen blanks by trading with other turners. Was finishing up a buckeye burl pen for a co-worker when it decided to explode on the lathe. The remaining buckeye burl that I had on hand was a bit punky and very temperamental to turn without self destructing. I dug deep into my pen blank bin searching for something else, and came up with a dusty blank marked "Thuya Burl - Spain". I had no clue about this species, but it looked nice, so off to the lathe it went.

Now that it's turned/finished I really like it! The burl was very dense and turned nicely. It has great figure and depth. This one got a 12 coat CA finish, then wet polished and buffed with white diamond compound and plastic polish. I looked up prices for Thuya and it's pretty pricey.

This pen is a .357 "Revolver" pen in brushed pewter:

 

[jimreed2160]

CSRpen--When I was a kid working at the animal hospital we had an ointment made from thuya extract. It was green and smelled like pine trees but it cleared up those bad skin rashes like magic. All this AND the burl is great for turning. Your pen is a beauty.

 

[rlitman]

I have a depth stop on my miter saw (Hitachi C12RSH) that uses a M8 I think so I just have a collection of bolts of different lengths. The original knob they use for the depth stop has a big plastic 'knob' for the head and it's too wide to get down in there and really raise the depth to anything usable.

It's funny that a few weekends in a row we made a TS sled, then used the miter saw to make clamp racks that the sled would have been perfect to use instead. I like having options but I am much more a 'miter saw guy' than a 'table saw guy'

I gave up on trying to get the dust collector to do a better job with the miter saw though, as mine isn't as well designed for dust collection as some, although generally miter saws do **** categorically at dust control. I got the Fastcap saw hood pro, put a 5 gal bucket under the bottom hole and now only the fine dust that the vacuum never caught anyway is what escapes. It takes up space, but its able to be folded up and put in a bag unlike if I had made it into a cabinet.

My miter saw also has a depth stop. The problem I find is that there is too much flex in the assembly. You have to push down on the saw head to hit the stop, and then as you push harder, the blade goes a little further. It's still acceptable for many tasks, but I find it too sloppy for many things. I can't imagine trying to use it to cut a box joint for example.

The Fastcap hood looks nice, but my concern is more with the fine dust that is most dangerous to your lungs. My miter saw came with a scoop that would sit behind the blade. I enlarged this scoop to work better with a shop vac sized hose, and it helps a lot, but it's still dustier than my TS.

On the TS, I'm using an Incra sliding table, rather than a true sled. The slot between the sliding table and the fixed table would shoot dust out, so I made a new fixed table that is missing the slot in front of the blade (zero-clearance style). That really made a big difference.

 

[chrislehr]

I have a good question for you guys. Im making some walnut drawer pulls and cutting the finger pull on a router table. These are 5”x3/4”x1” and this doesnt feel safe even with pushsticks. How would you jig this cut? Example pic (back one)

 

[ez-duzit]

Make a pattern that sits on the workpiece and use a pattern following bit like this.

 

[rlitman]

I have a good question for you guys. Im making some walnut drawer pulls and cutting the finger pull on a router table. These are 5”x3/4”x1” and this doesnt feel safe even with pushsticks. How would you jig this cut? Example pic (back one)

Oof! My father lost a fingertip to just that sort of mistake. No, pushsticks are not sufficiently safe for this.

Make a pattern that sits on the workpiece and use a pattern following bit like this...

You could use a pattern following bit like that. Or you could use a pattern following collar on your router base. But I prefer a different method.

I would start by making a large form (say 12"x16") that is the thickness of that handle, and that has a hole cut in the center that holds the pull in place, flush with the upper surface. A little painter's tape on the underside may be desired to secure it optimally.

Then, I'd brad nail down four strips of wood to that form, that guide my router's round base plate. That way, I'm using the entire base plate as my following guide, rather than a small collar. You just need to make sure that your bit is well centered on the base plate before you start the plunge cut.

 

[ez-duzit]

Don't cut to the outside dimensions until you have the router work done. Keep them all in one piece.

 

[chrislehr]

I feel like pattern following is a good fit, but the problem is still holding the workpiece. thinking I might take some 1/4" mdf or plywood scrap, add some hold downs to it, and guide THAT into the table/bit. The way I was doing it, I had stop blocks on either side, but with a 5" piece of wood, that makes a ~7" workspace for hands and pushsticks, making operations even tighter.

Im liking this idea. Ill try to take a pic of the final solution, but after watching that front piece dance around a bit, I had to find a better way. Thanks fam.

 

[chrislehr]

Don't cut to the outside dimensions until you have the router work done. Keep them all in one piece.

too late for that.

 

[rlitman]

Don't cut to the outside dimensions until you have the router work done. Keep them all in one piece.

On that note (though it is too late this time), it might have made more sense to route a pocket for two handles of this design together, and then cut them apart.