Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[Shiftless]

Drives:
Don’t worry about your old BLO.
The quart can I’ve been using is more than 30 years old. It still hardens up OK on my vises.

 

[rrich1]

Planed down the material for the drawers today. It got a little thinner than. I wanted but I should be fine. Bookmatched tigerwood. The wood will be continuous for the drawers. Should look really good with all of the curl. The section on the right with little curl won't be needed.

Also got the top doors done and laid out. I'm loving the use of magnets in the holders. I've got the right door off as I'm figuring out a layout for my saws. My chisels and screwdrivers will most likely go insid the left door. The inside of the right door will most likely be more saws.

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[jimreed2160]

Bench repair

So the glue is dry on my bench patch.

I spent most of the morning cutting grass and brush. I have lots of brush that needs to be cut to the ground so I can mow. It is too large for a string trimmer and at waist height just too tall for a mower. I found the perfect tool--a hedge trimmer on a stick.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-40-volt-20-in-Dual-Cordless-Hedge-Trimmer-Battery-Included/1000462987
It has a pretty intimidating look--kinda like an updated Grim Reaper's scythe, but it worked like a charm and laid waste to the brush.

But with my abbreviated shop time I did manage to finish up the workbench repair. Some careful paring with a chisel removed the stub and glue. I finished up with fine sandpaper and topped it off with a little rub of BLO. Now I am waiting for the dirt to kick in and make it vanish. At least this crisis is now a non event.

I am sure my dad would find the whole thing amusing. When I talked him out of the bench it was stacked with yard tools. He was not going out of his way to care for it and I am sure a little hole here or there would not have been cause for alarm. But over the years I have become attached to this bench. It has become the heart of my workshop.

 

[CRSINMICH]

HINGE TIP​

When I mentioned to my brother that I was putting hinges on a project, he gave me this tip. It's actually very simple to do but it's difficult to describe.

First, close the hinge and put a piece of painter's tape on top of the half that is going to be mounted. (I had already screwed one part of the hinge to the project and was leery about mounting the other part because that's where I usually have trouble with misalignment.)

Second, put tape on the hinge and another piece on the wood where the hinge would be mounted.

Third, when you are ready, put a dab or two of hot melt glue on the non-sticky side of the tape on either the wood or the hinge.

Fourth, before the glue starts to harden, align the two parts and press gently. Hold them in place for a minute or two.

The tape will stick to the wood and to the hinge. The glue sandwich will hold both parts together temporarily while you drill the pilot holes for the second part of the hinge.

The reason for using painter's tape is that it is low-tack. It's easy to remove and will not leave mastic behind to spoil the project. You may want to scuff up the shiny side of the tape with sandpaper so that the glue will grip better.


I hope this description and accompanying pictures make sense because it is a terrific tip. I'm sure I'll find other uses for it like temporarily attaching guide blocks.

 

[jimreed2160]

Lock mortise chisel

Lock mortise chisels, or swan's neck chisels are uncommon specialized tools. I have often needed one but ended up using a regular chisel--rocking it back and forth inside the mortise and using it like a scraper. That does work but it does a number on a sharp bench chisel. A mortise chisel, of course, is too fat to do the job.

So when this one came along I pulled the trigger and added it to my working group. Now I am set.

So when do you need one? Consider the mortise. Whether you chop it out or drill it out, there is a problem with the floor. It ends up looking pretty nasty. For cabinet doors, that is not a big issue because the sides will hold your tenon in place. But table leg mortises are a different animal. They require two mortises with the tenon ends meeting at a 45 degree angle. Of course, you can "cheat" and make the mortise open at the top. That is an easy cleanout but it is a weaker joint because there is no blocking for the tenon at the top. A stronger joint has a shouldered tenon into a blind mortise. Stronger still is a multiple mortise with two tenons on the skirt (one tenon with a void in the middle). It is these blind joints where the chisel earns its keep.

 

[Shiftless]

Those are 2 great tips, CRS and Jim.
I learn something new almost every time I drop by this excellent thread.
Thanks!

 

[hunterguy86]

I’m in the market for a 14” band saw. The short list is the grizzly g0555 or the porter cable from Lowe’s with the add on kreg fence system.

I’d love to hear yalls feedback on the decision.


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[ez-duzit]

86--look for a clean, used Delta 14"--way better.

 

[Craptain]

86--look for a clean, used Delta 14"--way better.

+1
That's what I have and am very happy with it.

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[ez-duzit]

I bought my like-new Delta X5 for $450.

 

[jimreed2160]

hunter--I have a Jet 14" with riser kit. The Griz looks better to me than the PC. But it is limited to a 6" cutting height and that is puny. Whatever you do, add a riser kit to your bandsaw. The 14" saws are not made for heavy duty resawing but they will do it. Just get the right blade, use your fence, and take your time.

Bandsaw was my first power tool and is still my favorite. Upgrade your blocks and keep plenty of spare blades on hand (at least two at all times). In my experience from helping others troubleshoot issues, 98% of all BS issues are due to dull blades.

Search this thread because I did a few bandsaw tutorials. And good luck with your quest.

 

[jimreed2160]

Made some progress on my risers. They were primed yesterday so today I went over them with spackle to cover the defects in the plywood. Next step is to sand them and then coat them with one last coat of primer.

 

[hunterguy86]

Thanks for the replies on the bandsaw. Not much used stuff around here that I’ve seen. Im gonna save my pennies and keep watching Craigslist but will probably end up with the grizzly.


I’ve been working on a little side table for my chair on the porch. Tried cedar but didn’t like it. I started over with some scrap 2x4s that were left over from framing my house. They had been in my shop for over a year when I milled them and glued them up. It’s interesting to still see sap oozing out of them. Wood looks like doug fur to me.

I let the wood rest a week after milling,before glue up for the legs.





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[jimreed2160]

Hunter--Mr Google sez that kiln drying process has to be at least 160 degrees to set the pitch and make it solidify. White lumber from the big box stores is usually not processed that completely and will bleed. I would find another source of wood for a chair.

 

[jimreed2160]

Workbench top

I had my first experience with MDF today. HD was out of 2x4 plywood sheets and the MDF was handy. The long cuts were on my TS and they went just fine. I used my handsaw to make the notches and that went OK also. So I guess MDF is an OK product. I like the no splinter thing because sometimes the plywood edges can be wicked.

 

[jimreed2160]

Top continued

So the project turned into one of those "measure once, cut three times" things. I had trouble getting the corner right. Luckily it will be hidden by the real top. This piece of MDF is just an underlay for some risers and a solid wood surface. The final project will be a multipurpose bench in a quiet area of the shop.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I had trouble getting the corner right...

jr--you're making a hash of a simple job. Just lay the sheet on top of the chest and transfer the shape to its underside using a marking knife or pencil. Make an allowance for the thickness of the sheet metal border on the chest and cut.

Or make a pattern of the top using strips of door skin, hot-glued together, and transfer that to the sheet goods.

 

[hunterguy86]

Here’s some pictures of the quick little table. It’s not fancy but it’s just patio furniture. Still needs final sanding and finish.






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[jsmeece]

^^^Thanks guys. I finally found a supplier that has some NOS left. This stuff is great but for some reason traditional varnish is nearly impossible to find and I'm almost out. Maybe VOC rules?

Wonderful, I have be trying to get my hands on some of the discontinued varnish for the past two years. I think I bought the last two cans a few years ago from my local ACE hardware store and I asked them to order me a few more cans and they said that could not get it anymore. I need to redo an antique vanity and matching medicine cabinet in my upstairs bathroom. I ordered three quart cans from Whitehead that week and got them on Friday, many thanks.

 

[jimreed2160]

Hunter--Excellent project. Things like that keep your spouse happy and help justify additional tool purchases.

 

[jimreed2160]

I did a trial fit of the cabinet riser and decided that it needed something for mounting. So I built an internal frame. It went together quickly due to my new Kreg jig. I pinned it into place with sheetrock screws and countersunk them with a 6" throw brace. What a handy tool!

Picture is my spray booth after the first coat. Somehow I was able to squeeze in three paint sessions today.

 

[chrislehr]

Teak bathroom stool.

 

[hunterguy86]

Anybody know of a good place to purchase bits for a brace? Would prefer new if possible. I really don’t want to play the eBay game.

I also have a spare Stanley 45 and some spare parts for it if anybody is interested.


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[ez-duzit]

A teak hatch frame (~20" square) I made for a 30' sailboat. The exterior portion has been painted to match, with the interior portion varnished. You will notice the slip-feathers I installed to keep all the joints tight; no movement shows after several years in service. The cabin top is highly cambered.

Construction is one piece epoxy glue-up with a separate trim frame against the overhead, inside.

 

[jimreed2160]

EZ--Outstanding work. Thanks for the pictures. It certainly has held up well.

 

[ez-duzit]

jr--thank you. I happened to be on that boat today and took a couple photos.

 

[jimreed2160]

Some carpentry

I am building a new workbench area in the North Annex of the garage and I needed some plywood for the top. A 2'x4' piece would have done but HD was out of the cut up stuff and wanted $27 for the 3/4" with an oak veneer face. That reminded me of my old kitchen cabinet doors. Our house was built in 1978 and we redid the kitchen in 2012. I saved most of the doors because they were made from high grade plywood. One would be great for this workbench.

And this project gave me a chance to stretch the board. I needed something 44-45" long but the door came up short. I used a piece of the cut off side and butted it on the end with biscuits. The job went quickly because I recently sorted out and organized my biscuit tools.

This piece of top will be clad with leftover pecan flooring and then fastened to the MDF. I will use some of the same flooring to cover the bottom of the cabinet riser. That flooring did a good job covering my spare cabinetmakers bench and I figured it would do the same here.

Interesting note here is I have had the DeWalt biscuit cutter for about twenty years and always dreaded using it because it throws shavings and dust all over the place--mostly in my hair. I have it stored in its original case because there is no room in the drawers. This afternoon I spied the dust bag still unused and inside a sealed plastic bag. I got it out and used the also new fittings to cover the outlet port. Guess what! No dust! It is a miracle and makes the tool much nicer to use. Sorry that it took me so long to slow down and pay attention.

 

[rrich1]

Been a while but there has been some work done.

At this point in time all I have left to do is the drawers. I finished putting finish on the entire cabinet and all of the tool holders. The front of the main doors stiles and rails as well as the sides hadn't been coated yet.


I made a few saw holders and really happy with how they turned out. I oversized some pieces of mahogany and tigerwood for the saw blades. This allowed the whole blade to be covered and not slice me in passing. The magnets hold the saws to the door and keep them from shifting when opening and closing. I have used magnets a lot in the tool holders and will also put some at the door corners to keep them closed.

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[beelsr]

Guess what! No dust! It is a miracle and makes the tool much nicer to use. Sorry that it took me so long to slow down and pay attention.

Even better if you plug the vac line into the tool's port. I have a 1.5" outlet/converter on a DC line that's under a corner of the assembly bench and a 6 ft lightweight vac hose hanging next to it. right there so i always use it. very little dust escapes that when doing biscuits or kreg or ROS.

And I have a couple of the nozzles screwed to small scraps of mdf and quick-clamp that to the table or workpiece when drilling or routing or doing something where the tool itself doesn't have a port.

i hate dust.

 

[jimreed2160]

rrich--Great progress shots. I love the bookmatched doors. Bet it is nice to have everything close by yet such a compact area.

beelsr--I just never seemed to have time for dust collection but really appreciate my efforts when I pay attention to it. And you are right on the money--a shopvac plugged into a DC port does wonders. I have a new sawbench for my TS on order. Maybe it is time to tame that beast. I don't use it that much but it does spew sawdust everywhere.

 

[hunterguy86]

Rrich, that cabinet is fantastic! Excellent job.


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[jimreed2160]

Workbench

I finally finished the workbench in the new North Annex of my garage shop. The mashup came out pretty well, with a Kobalt toolbox bottom, Gladiator tall cabinets, a Gladiator 30" hanger and some JR special risers painted to match. The pecan flooring did a nice job tying it all together. The three roller cabinets all still roll around but I will keep the toolbox stationary because it helps hold up the cabinet. If I decide to change things, it would comes apart pretty quickly.

Next task is to hide the cord and bring on a few lightweight projects.

 

[hunterguy86]

Workbench looks great!!


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[jimreed2160]

Sandpaper holder

My shop upgrade continues. The project is slow but steady. With the North Annex bench done, I turned my attention to the south and hung some pegboard behind my dead corner bench. The pegboard will cover up the old paint on the wall and also provide alternate storage so I can clean off the benchtop. Once it was up, I spied the Lee Valley sandpaper dispenser and decided to get it off the ground. It has five spools of graduated grit sandpaper--coarse to very fine. Should be handy for little projects.

I started at the scrap pile and, of course, when you have a Kreg jig, everything needs pocket screws. A little bandsaw work and I was done. Now the dispenser occupies that generally unused pegboard space under the cabinet.

 

[rrich1]

Thanks guys.

Jim the bench and sandpaper holder came out well.

I had a blunder while Making the first drawer. My continuous grain pattern is shot. While doing the pins I didn't realize or oriented the board wrong.

Also I only had a 1/4" chisel and that was just a little too large for the tails for the drawers so I stopped. I picked up a cheap Irwin 1/8" chisel today and will start back on the drawers to finally finish up the cabinet.

In the meantime I started to design and build my miter saw station. The wall it's going on is a little over 12' with a door that I can open to stick longer lumber out if needed. The miter station will hold my saw and drill press. I'll have 6'2" to the right of the saw 30" to the left that is measured. I got the three cabinets built and am not figuring out the space needed for the saw. I believe I'll need 35.5" for the base and 41.5" above the base to allow the bevel cuts. The bottom right corner will not have any cabinets as that is where my crawl space access is.




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[ez-duzit]

1--perhaps you can salvage the grain pattern by cutting the face off the ruined drawer and using it to veneer the replacement.

 

[jimreed2160]

rrich--Sorry to hear about your blunder. Stuff happens. I have been known to cut out pieces and then use those pieces for something else. So now on complicated projects I mark things with pencil, chalk and/or painters tape. Depends on what works at the time. This marking has really cut down, but not eliminated, my screw ups. But this is how nice wood gets into the scrap bin where it can audition for another role someday.

My miter saw is still sitting on a table. Your stand looks nice. Always good to have the convenient storage around it.

 

[ScottsGT]

Quick question, I'm thinking about getting a Planer.
My workshop/garage will not support a larger stand alone, as all of my wood working tools are bench top models. I have too many hobbies/activities I use my garage for to dedicate it to a woodworking shop only. I have to be able to move/store all tools out of the way, sometimes at a moments notice due to weather patterns and having to pull my car in the garage. So that being said, I want a really good portable. I'm eyeing two options right now, and I'm looking for input.

One is the Cutech Model 40200HC-CT, professional spiral head cutter with carbide tips.
Probably close to $750 after shipping charges.

Other option is a used (very low time) Dewalt 735 for $350 and then buying a Shelix spiral carbide cutter head for $400. Might even be able to talk down the price on the Dewalt.

Basically, I'm priced about the same. But the Shelix comes with 4 sided cutters that can be rotated 4 times. Cutech is only two sided.

Advise? Which way would you go?

FWIW, planning on the Cutech 8" jointer with carbide tips as well. But this is all down the road if I don't need to jump on the Dewalt option before it is sold. I have to build my storage area the way I need it before adding any more tools.

 

[jimreed2160]

scotts--Both planer options look good to me. Hard to make a bad decision here. Good luck.

 

[jimreed2160]

New tool

I had to shoot a few brads on the edge trim of my latest workbench but I was too lazy to get out the compressor, uncoil the hose and deal with the brad gun for just five brads. So I drilled pilots, glued the trim, and tacked it in place with a few small finish nails. OUCH! That was awkward and more difficult than it should have been. So I hunted for some alternatives and found the PC gun. No brainer because it uses my PC batteries.

I used it today to shoot four brads on the clock project and it worked great. Quick and efficient. I am sure there is a break even point that probably starts at about six or seven. Shooting lots of brads is probably quicker and easier with the compressor but I am glad to have an alternative.