Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[turbowoodworker]

I bought those, Drives. They are off Amazon but Rockler, etc all have them. Big price range for no apparent reason. $15.00 on Amazon. I think the material is called HDPE, slick and stable. It can be purchased in various sizes. I have one long piece I use as a face to my TS fence.

The material is really easy to machine as it has a soft character to it, If I were to make my own inserts, I'd just buy a slab and rough cut with jig saw then use the old insert as a template with a router and pattern bit.Very easy. But at !5 bucks, it comes perfectly fit, has the four set screws for leveling and the knob at the far end for the TS lip.

As for dining table...have I got a story for you. Stand by.

 

[turbowoodworker]

The back story of a scrounger/woodworker:
My business partner was remodeling a custom house and wanted a new front door with a pivot hinge and I think glass block of some sort. The carpenter built it of solid maple, and of course it warped, and was at that point useless.

It sat in his garage and he asked if I wanted it as it was solid 8/4 maple. When I saw it, it was standing on its side with big square holes in it. I tilted my head trying to figure out the best way to cut it up to get the most maple from it, when Shazaam, it looked like a dining room table.

So I built a base, filled the holes with exotic woods (peroba rasa, osage orange, bloodwood and chakte kok), then edged it in curly maple.

It measures 58" x 95" and seats 10 (yah it started as a BIG door).

Made the wife happy too.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Not sure how many wood carvers are around, but I thought I'd show off my Godfather's woodcarving set. He knew that I would use it as I had been carving flintlock stocks for some time. He gave it to me when his arthritis got to be too much for him.
I don't use it as much as I should, but the set occupies a revered location in my shop as a memory to my Godfather.

 

[fartymarty]

The back story of a scrounger/woodworker:
My business partner was remodeling a custom house and wanted a new front door with a pivot hinge and I think glass block of some sort. The carpenter built it of solid maple, and of course it warped, and was at that point useless.

It sat in his garage and he asked if I wanted it as it was solid 8/4 maple. When I saw it, it was standing on its side with big square holes in it. I tilted my head trying to figure out the best way to cut it up to get the most maple from it, when Shazaam, it looked like a dining room table.

So I built a base, filled the holes with exotic woods (peroba rasa, osage orange, bloodwood and chakte kok), then edged it in curly maple.

It measures 58" x 95" and seats 10 (yah it started as a BIG door).

Made the wife happy too.

Looks great!...but, is it still warped or did you do something else to it?

 

[harley jim]

Not sure how many wood carvers are around, but I thought I'd show off my Godfather's woodcarving set. He knew that I would use it as I had been carving flintlock stocks for some time. He gave it to me when his arthritis got to be too much for him.

I don't use it as much as I should, but the set occupies a revered location in my shop as a memory to my Godfather.

That's a nice set. I carve some, right now its mostly walking sticks, we walk the woods and find (twisty sticks) small trees that a honeysuckle vine grows into. I would like a matched set someday but now I have a box of mixed blades that I use.

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[jimreed2160]

Great table Turbo. And a great reuse project.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Fartymarty, yes the table is still warped. It bows down or dips about 1/4” in the middle of the 58” dimension. It is visible when you lay a straight edge on it. Does not effect function as a dining room table but as a door on a pivot hinge it would not have functioned properly. Plus it was a contracted professional job as a door. For me it is a hobby and few of my projects approach perfection.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

I finally broke down and decided I need to get a few woodworking tools. The first two projects I have are trimming out the windows in the garage (put drywall in last summer) and putting together a flatware organizer for the wife. For the window, is there a reference for standard designs? I am not entirely sure what I want or what router bits I might need.

 

[ez-duzit]

SD--you don't need router bits to trim out the drywall around windows. Just pickup some suitable moldings at the lumber yard.

 

[drivesitfar]

Dwarf: have you picked the material you want to use for your windows? like EZ says most home depots or lumber yard type stores have some trim that already has an edge on it, but sounds like you'd like to make your own.

once you pick your material (type of wood and thickness) it should determine what size and type of bit you should buy that will fit your router. my suggestion would be to watch a few YouTube videos for ideas and maybe more importantly safety tips. my guess is that you'll need a simple roundover bit (not sure if they call it that) that is the width of your wood.

GOOD LUCK!!

ALL: not to diminish this good Woodworking 101 thread I started a thread on JUST PLANERS & JOINERS if any of you would like to share pictures of yours and tips or ideas on how to best use them. I'm almost out of the steady drizzling rain season here in Seattle and i've got more than a few pieces of cedar to plane for my fence and decking.

here's the link to the new thread:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446662

also JAR was a huge help in posting some great tips on the new SHAPERS thread and I'd like to see more of you over there maybe adding to what has already been said cause i'm tending to believe they are much better machine than a router. That thread could also include router use if any of you want to post them there.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=445564&highlight=shapers

maybe this way these threads might bring more woodworkers to our forum cause some of us don't have the room in our small garages for CARS, METAL WORKING & WOODWORKING so we have to choose which one fits our needs best. I'm leaning towards woodworking cause I have more than a few DIY projects that will need some sort of that kind of work.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

SD--you don't need router bits to trim out the drywall around windows. Just pickup some suitable moldings at the lumber yard.

I wasn't sure what style I wanted to use. Since it is the garage and our house has a rather interesting style I wan't sure what style I wanted to use. Plain white boards with 90* corners will not fit well.

 

[ez-duzit]

...Plain white boards with 90* corners will not fit well.

No, no, no.

The lumber yard has all types of moldings.

 

[chrislehr]

How i do perfect barrel bolt depths

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Not sure how many wood carvers are around, but I thought I'd show off my Godfather's woodcarving set. He knew that I would use it as I had been carving flintlock stocks for some time. He gave it to me when his arthritis got to be too much for him.
I don't use it as much as I should, but the set occupies a revered location in my shop as a memory to my Godfather.

That's one heck of a nice woodcarving set. Congrats!

 

[jimreed2160]

PO Bank
Staycation for everyone means more shop time! I found a box of bronze PO box doors when I was cleaning up last month. Since I have a load of grandkids, most of whom are young enough to enjoy something like this, I decided to get busy. It all started with making a prototype. This one is walnut.

Learned a lot on this one and I hope the future banks show improvements. One improvement is to lower the relief on the rear raised panel.

So now there are about two or three dozen doors remaining. Some have key locks but no key so I need to visit a locksmith. Others are older but lack a frame so they will be more challenging. Not a real problem because it looks like I have lots of shop time on my hands these days.

 

[PelicanPines]

PO Bank... beautiful.

I got one as a gift that was premade out of oak. If I get to my ~office later, I will snap a few.

I'm making paracord knot lanyards to pass the time... and putting labels on files... I like what you are doing better.

 

[steaks&anvils]

PO Bank
Staycation for everyone means more shop time! I found a box of bronze PO box doors when I was cleaning up last month. Since I have a load of grand kids, most of whom are young enough to enjoy something like this, I decided to get busy. It all started with making a prototype. This one is walnut.

Looks great!

Just a safety observation. Is that glass in the door? how old are the kids? Could get ugly if little Bobby tries to force the door closed on little Suzy's Barbie doll...

Not that I would ever have tormented my sister that way...

 

[jimreed2160]

About the glass--nothing is 100% safe but luckily the kids are old enough to understand proper use. But the bank would be an interesting dungeon for Barbie.

 

[jar944]

I was concerned about being able to get plywood in the current situation so I ordered a couple lifts of it. 20 sheets of 3/4 maple and 30 sheets of 1/2 birch.

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[Craptain]

Hoarder! [emoji38][emoji38]

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[spike99250]

Boarder hoarder

 

[rayh]

Jar--As much as you do, that won't last too long. If I could afford it, I'd be sitting on a few sheets too. I enjoy your posts.

 

[CRSINMICH]

My very small shop had some long term (non-woodworking) storage at one end. The old door hiding it was on hinges but there was rarely room in my packed shop to swing open a 45" wide door. My solution was to make this frame and panel rolling door. When it was nearly finished I realized that I could now make use of this new "wall" space so I built this plane rack to hold and display wooden planes.

 

[raskal]

My very small shop had some long term (non-woodworking) storage at one end. The old door hiding it was on hinges but there was rarely room in my packed shop to swing open a 45" wide door. My solution was to make this frame and panel rolling door. When it was nearly finished I realized that I could now make use of this new "wall" space so I built this plane rack to hold and display wooden planes.

very nice! Did you buy or make the hardware?

 

[drivesitfar]

Jar: it's good to plan ahead cause who knows how long this lock down will keep us from doing past normal activities.

CRS: great job and looks like you've got a lot more space for other tools to hang or make shelves for.

ALL: in the new Planer and Joiner thread i'm asking if there is a favorite source for Helical or shelix cutters? also what are your feelings on whether to upgrade or just keep changing the less expensive blades/knives?

 

[Firebrick43]

Jar: it's good to plan ahead cause who knows how long this lock down will keep us from doing past normal activities.

CRS: great job and looks like you've got a lot more space for other tools to hang or make shelves for.

ALL: in the new Planer and Joiner thread i'm asking if there is a favorite source for Helical or shelix cutters? also what are your feelings on whether to upgrade or just keep changing the less expensive blades/knives?

My favorite source is Holbren.com. I also buy my ridge carbide blades there as well As far as shelix, well that is your choice. I have not and probably will not buy one. I have a powermatic 8” jointer and 12” RBI both with straight blades are fine for me. Yes it takes a 20-30 mins to switch blades but I am not spending 700$ or so either. If I WW for a living I would definitely buy one! If I worked nothing but curly maple or other exotics maybe I would as well. But I have two sets and I made my own sharpener similar to the duelen sharpening jig.

The thing that completely baffles me is a shelix for the lunch box planers?

 

[CRSINMICH]

raskal: I bought the hardware at a big box store. I did have to make a 2 ft extension. The box store sold extensions that were 6 feet long but I couldn't justify the cost and I did have 4 feet of the appropriately sized bar that I had saved "just in case". The extension is mounted ever so slightly out of level (on purpose, honest). Now when I roll the door all the way to the left I know it will stay there until I'm finished in the storage area.

drives: I've already thought of what else to put on the door. There will soon be a crosspiece underneath the plane shelf. It will have cup hooks from which I'll hang spokeshaves, scrapers and such like. Also, the top of the door is going to have a Spoffard brace on display.

 

[topcok88]

Applied some Formica brand PREMIUMfx Midnight Stone Etchings Laminate on my torsion box out feed table. The box is a little deeper than most but I have plans to store some stuff inside. I will say don’t be like me and use the high VOC contact cement in your basement. I had to open the doors and use a large fan to **** the air out. I was super nervous about applying the laminate and trimming it with the router but it was really super easy. Definitely recommend it. Oh and I got the Laminate from the big box for $20 for a 4x8 sheet because of a small damage on the corner.


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[turbowoodworker]

Topcock, great pickup on the damaged corner laminate. What a buy! And it will work well on the outfeed side.

 

[topcok88]

Topcock, great pickup on the damaged corner laminate. What a buy! And it will work well on the outfeed side.

Thanks. Obviously my interest in sharing here is to hopefully give some others around here confidence in doing some of their own laminate work. I’m considering taking some pictures and compiling a few useful articles I used to get to this point. And I also stepped out of my normal comfort zone by searching out an employee and asking them what they do with damaged laminate and what they are willing to discount it to. The employee claimed reducing the price to $20 was the maximum they were authorized to mark it down. I don’t know if it’s entirely true but I was more than happy to get it for that price. After this initial experience going by the laminate area each time I visit the store will be on my list. If I can continue to acquire discount product that would really go a long way in making durable and easy to clean shop surfaces for little cost.


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[turbowoodworker]

You are correct. Laminates have been around a long time but if you've never done it, it cane be intimidating. This is made worse by the cost of a sheet. But there is a huuuuuge selection of colors and designs out there.

The hardest thing is waiting for the glue to dry. It is counterintuitive that the contact cement should be dry, or at least little tacky when you actually start. And the trick is to lay furring strips on the substrate, place the laminate on the strips, then remove them sequentially. Then a J roller and you are done.

Don't be afraid of the process, even if the cost is scary.

Rick

 

[drivesitfar]

The last time I did laminate (it was also the first time) I made some countertops for a store my bride was moving to a bigger location 30 years ago. without Youtube, GJ or the internet I managed by just reading the directions on the can of contact cement and it worked out great.

unfortunately I never did any laminate again cause my bride wanted tile countertops and flooring so I learned how to lay tile.

As Turbo mentioned (and if I recall correctly) putting the contact cement on both the laminate and bench top and letting them dry was key and I also had plenty of small strips of wood so I could lay the formica on them and get the large 3x8 foot pieces in position before pulling out the firring strips and having the fomica bond with the bench top. really worked great and it was also the first time I used a router and it was kinda fun zipping the edging.

TC: nice looking piece of laminate and hopefully it will serve you well.

ALL: Jar and a couple others have posted their methods of moving some of these heavy woodworking machines and with pictures too on the PLANERS & SHAPERS thread so if you might need help or have other ideas here's the link again:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446662

 

[Bob Heine]

I went on a laminate binge back in the 1980s. Wife hated Avocado so I checked on contacted one of those "We'll re-face your cabinets for a fraction of the cost of new." They seemed to think $3,000 for an 8-foot galley kitchen was a bargain. A friend and I did a much fancier job re-facing them for $300, which included the cost of a Laminate Slitter. It's a real handy tool if you are doing a lot of edge banding (and side banding).

I used dowels to keep the surfaces separated before doing the final placement. I was putting a 2-inch strip of oak laminate on the pull-side of all the doors and matched the drawers as well. When you have to seamlessly **** two pieces of laminate, the ability to roll the dowel out of the way while holding that tight edge is a big help.

When laminate cabinets were the rage there were laminate suppliers all over the place. You could get 1/32" laminate for doors and vertical surfaces and 1/16" laminate for countertops but the big box stores only sell the thicker stuff. The thicker laminate leaves a noticeable dark edge, which isn't a problem on dark doors but it detracts from the clean look on lighter doors.

 

[TwoBytes]

It's far from fine furniture, but I've been building a decorative garden bridge...

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I've been posting progress shots in my thread (https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336332&page=25), so I won't repost them all, but wanted to share here too, as my thread doesn't get much traffic.

It's mostly made from salvaged 2nd hand timber leftover from the kids cubby house project. (also covered earlier in my thread, from post #56, continuing for many years!)

 

[TwoBytes]

Discovered that the treated pine decking boards I have won't span that far without significant bending, so...

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[TwoBytes]

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[TwoBytes]

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[riceaterSLC]

Newbie question about garage cabinets. How do I determine if doors will have enough clearance when mounted flush against another cabinet?

I'm about to build some cabinets to hang on my wall in the garage. I planned on building 4 30x30 (depth TDB) cabinets, each with double doors using 3/4" ply.

I already purchased Blum 71B3550 full overlay hinges. If I mount the cabinets flush against each other, with the right door of the left side cabinet interfere with the left door of the right side cabinet? I want to avoid having a gap between the cabinets. Thanks in advance

 

[rlitman]

Newbie question about garage cabinets. How do I determine if doors will have enough clearance when mounted flush against another cabinet?

I'm about to build some cabinets to hang on my wall in the garage. I planned on building 4 30x30 (depth TDB) cabinets, each with double doors using 3/4" ply.

I already purchased Blum 71B3550 full overlay hinges. If I mount the cabinets flush against each other, with the right door of the left side cabinet interfere with the left door of the right side cabinet? I want to avoid having a gap between the cabinets. Thanks in advance

You’ll need a slight gap between double doors, but not between cabinets. The way that hinge operates, it swings the inside corner of the door away from the frame before the outside. So double doors may interfere if they start out touching, but doors that back against each other will not.

When fully open, that hinge swings the door out and over the adjacent door. I think it may have just enough to accommodate a 3/4” thick door.

 

[ScottsGT]

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LOL! My first thought was you were building thi for a Scouting bridge for the Webelo to Scout crossover.

Have you thought about making some caps for the top of the posts? That’s going to hold water and promote rot.
Very nice work!