Woodworking 101--Tools and Tips

[jar944]

She asked me where the breadboards were...

So onto version 3

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[cycle61]

I checked the date on my photos. April 5 of last year was the last I ever I worked on it. It sat in pieces collecting dust for just over a year until I decided to finish it. I built plenty of other things in the meantime but had some sort of aversion to assembling it until a few days ago.
During lockdown, I put 6 more coats of Polly on it and assembled the pieces. I may put a few more coats on the top... maybe next year.

I showed this to my wife and now I have a new project on the to-do list.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Broke out the miter trimmer and sharpened the knives yesterday.

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How do you like it, I'm thinking of buying this one.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1166386987084020/?surface=product_details

 

[rlitman]

How do you like it, I'm thinking of buying this one.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1166386987084020/?surface=product_details

For $50, I'd be all over that!

 

[raskal]

For $50, I'd be all over that!

really? for a "Loin Mitter"

what happens to a loin after you mitter it?

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I'm thinking the misspelling might be one of the reasons it hasn't yet sold.

 

[rlitman]

I'm thinking the misspelling might be one of the reasons it hasn't yet sold.

Could be. Some of my best deals were because of that.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Could be. Some of my best deals were because of that.

Me too, I bought a 12hp, 25" Rockwell "plainer" for $500, had it been listed correctly as a planer, it would have sold before I ever found it.

 

[jar944]

How do you like it, I'm thinking of buying this one.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1166386987084020/?surface=product_details

It works well for what it is. If you have the need to do much inset moulding it's great.

For $50 I'd throw it under my bench.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

It would be for picture frame more than anything else. I can sneak up pretty close with a non-sliding compound miter saw but the surface finish is only as good as the blade and shaving the last 0.010" off would be easier with the right tool. I'm thinking this would be that tool.

 

[Toolfool]

https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/...BRIEF&utm_campaign=Ode to the perfect kitchen

 

[Gotcha640]

Thanks. I used 18g brads all the way to the edge. Table saw cut right through them and the router missed them because they were in the center of the plank. If there is a next time, I won’t use brads on the outside pieces.

I need to reach out to the suppliers, but I've been looking at plastic/composite nails for my 18g Dewalt nailer. Cutting, sanding, painting, easier on equipment and since they're so small, a few extra if you're worried about the strength shouldn't be a problem.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I've been looking at plastic/composite nails for my 18g Dewalt nailer...

They are a huge disappointment, shattering with very little penetration on anything but the very softest of woods.

 

[Gotcha640]

They are a huge disappointment, shattering with very little penetration on anything but the very softest of woods.

Any particular brand you've used? I see raptor may work in other brand guns, senco may be senco gun only, looking at an old post on wooden boat forum.

I realize they aren't going to be replacement for all uses, but I was thinking about nailing a sled to an odd sized piece for table saw/planer/router use.

 

[ez-duzit]

Raptor in a Senco SP20 18-ga nailer.

Useless.

 

[budget76]

stupid question of the day - what are you guys all doing your glue-ups on? is your table "flat"? The plywood table had me wondering

i've got a 1.5x2ft piece of granite i use for smaller stuff. My bench isn't perfect so i don't trust it as a flat surface. Sheet of 3/4 ply just assumed to be a flat surface?

I have a 4x8 Corian kitchen countertop sitting in the shop ready to be turned into the main bench that solves the issue, but haven't taken the time to tear apart what I have today to go re-make my bench.

 

[rlitman]

stupid question of the day - what are you guys all doing your glue-ups on? is your table "flat"? The plywood table had me wondering

i've got a 1.5x2ft piece of granite i use for smaller stuff. My bench isn't perfect so i don't trust it as a flat surface. Sheet of 3/4 ply just assumed to be a flat surface?

I have a 4x8 Corian kitchen countertop sitting in the shop ready to be turned into the main bench that solves the issue, but haven't taken the time to tear apart what I have today to go re-make my bench.

Plywood is NOT flat. For smaller sizes, I've taken one piece of plywood cut in half (not a full sheet mind you), oriented the halves so they touch in only the center, i.e. )( and not (), and glued them together with serious clamping around the edges, so the cupping mostly cancels itself out.

I've done some glue ups over wax paper on my cast iron table saw top.

Corian is surprisingly at least as flexible as plywood.

 

[ez-duzit]

My 4' x 8' bench is flat because it has a heavy frame supporting multiple layers of plywood and MDF, topped with 1/4" Masonite. I cover it with 6 mil polyethylene sheeting for glue-ups.

 

[rlitman]

My 4' x 8' bench is flat because it has a heavy frame supporting multiple layers of plywood and MDF, topped with 1/4" Masonite. I cover it with 6 mil polyethylene sheeting for glue-ups.

Exactly. Corian countertops are flat, only because of the framing underneath.

 

[Ray-CA]

I've just recently gotten back into lathe work and bought an inexpensive (cheap) set of tools. Can you recommend a decent set of tools that will hold a good edge for a reasonable, hobbyist price?

Thanks,

Ray

 

[jar944]

stupid question of the day - what are you guys all doing your glue-ups on? is your table "flat"? The plywood table had me wondering

i've got a 1.5x2ft piece of granite i use for smaller stuff. My bench isn't perfect so i don't trust it as a flat surface. Sheet of 3/4 ply just assumed to be a flat surface?

I have a 4x8 Corian kitchen countertop sitting in the shop ready to be turned into the main bench that solves the issue, but haven't taken the time to tear apart what I have today to go re-make my bench.

I have a 48x78" torsion box assembly table and a roughly 84x84" Ts +outfeed I glue up on, both are internal core torsion box designs and both are flat.

 

[budget76]

Exactly. Corian countertops are flat, only because of the framing underneath.

definitely makes sense - i plan to get it a good support structure underneath prior to making the rest of the base of the cabinet. thanks for reinforcing the importance

my granite block works well, but only for small pieces. just made a desktop from planed and trimmed 2x3's. glue up went OK, but could have been better if i had a better flat table and if the 2x3's were less twisted/bent. Wound up successful though - that was my biggest glue up so far at ~2.5x6ft.

 

[budget76]

I have a 48x78" torsion box assembly table and a roughly 84x84" Ts +outfeed I glue up on, both are internal core torsion box designs and both are flat.

Jealous - that sounds like a great setup and lots of space

 

[jar944]

Working on a credenza / media cabinet.

Quick dimension sketch before I started
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I ended up having to modify the cope knives as the stub tenon /tongue was coming out about. 010" undersized.
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And I decided to finally rebuild my clamp rack
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[jar944]

Maybe more 101 related..

When fitting inset doors and drawers I initially trim them to fit tight to the opening (I build them about 1/8" oversized)

While I expect everything to be square, I plan for a bit of wiggle just in case it doesn't work out perfectly.

In this case everything was square (well almost there was one corner that was 1/64th out)

The tight fit allows me to take 1/16 or in my case .080" off each edge leaving the same reveals all around.

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[ez-duzit]

4--good post.

 

[HenryAZ]

Maybe more 101 related..When fitting inset doors and drawers I initially trim them to fit tight to the opening (I build them about 1/8" oversized)

That's the way I always did it. When I laid out the cabinet on a stick, I made the door stiles and rails 2 3/8", then ripped them 2 1/2" for the machining process. I jointed one edge before ripping, and used that edge to work from. The rougher ripped edge always came off at the jointer when doing the final fitting of the door.

 

[jar944]

Here is one (maybe more applicable to the planer thread)

If you have a 4 post planer (all of the 15" imported delta clones; grizzly, powermatic, jet, baleigh,laguna, and some of the 20") without a pressure bar and you are getting washboard finish, it's from chatter.

My 1984 grizzly g1021 was particularly bad lately as the chip breaker bushing migrated out of place and made it completly ineffective. On these models the chip breaker does double duty as both the chip breaker and pressure bar (it's a poor design but they all do it) some run 3 pressure springs against the chip breaker. Grizzly chose to use 1 (but the other sets of tapped holes are there)

In my case I added a a couple sections of spring steel and two additional wooden springs (until I order some spring steel) between the extra pressure and a longer melamine bed plate I've managed to eliminate the chatter and corresponding washboard finish.

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[turbowoodworker]

I just posted this on another thread about workbenches and thought it may be helpful to someone here as reference.

Rick

FYI, if you are interested in woodworking bench design and history, there are three books worth picking up. When I made mine, I took from a lot of different designs and used what suited me. Designs are divided into two general camps:
European (aka Skandinavian style) benches and cabinetmakers or joiners benches (probably both from Europe originally). They differ in types of vises (and how they spell vice) and if they have full length tool trays like in the case of the OP's model.

"Making Workbenches"Sam AllenSterling Press 1995
"The Workbench" Lon Schleining Taunton Press 2004
"Workbenches" Christopher Scwartz Popular Woodworking Books 2007

 

[jar944]

Cutting the door and drawer reveal using a jointer.

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[HenryAZ]

Cutting the door and drawer reveal using a jointer.

That's good method. My preference was to just use a push block and go straight through. And of course you'd need a push block to make a taper cut on a door end.

 

[jar944]

That's good method. My preference was to just use a push block and go straight through. And of course you'd need a push block to make a taper cut on a door end.

Nice.
Hadn't thought of a push block as a backer to stop the end grain blowout. I'll try that next time.

 

[1Garageman]

Nice.
Hadn't thought of a push block as a backer to stop the end grain blowout. I'll try that next time.

That is exactly what I was thinking. It I don't use a push block on my planer it rips it almost every time.

 

[riceaterSLC]

I'm looking for some recommendations for wipe on poly.
I will apply it to some shop cabinets I'm building (3/4" A/C Pine if it matters).
It doesn't have to be super fancy, but something easy to apply for a halfway decent finish. I've never worked with poly before. Thanks in advance.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Varathane brand, avail at Lowe's. Good as any I've used.

 

[Gezginite]

I have been interested in begin to do some woodworking lately.
I have no woodworking tools and are going to buy everything from the bottom (and are interested in buying everything of the best of the best (where money is no issue, but kept realistic) and was thinking about if there already was a thread in garagejournal with this discussion (just could'nt find it by using the search function) so was wondering if any have seen a discussion about the topic, so I don't ask the same questions again.

 

[CRSINMICH]

Gezginite: Welcome. I don't know of a thread like the one you mentioned. Don't worry about asking the same questions again. We are happy to share what we know. There is a lot to learn. Be patient and ask lots of questions.

You should first ask yourself about what kind of woodworking you want to do. Do you want to use power tools or hand tools? It's your choice. I think that most woodworkers use both types of tools but they may prefer to use one type more than the other.

I think that if you want to use mainly power tools then you will probably want a tablesaw first. There are lots of choices so be sure to ask about what to look for in order to find one that will do what you want.

If you mainly want to use hand tools then first look for a good plane and a good set of chisels. Again, there are lots of choices so ask lots of questions.

Also, you should expect to make some wrong choices. We all did.

Oh yeah, a good bench, and a good vise (vice), and lots of clamps (cramps). Have fun!

 

[CRSINMICH]

EDIT: I'm sorry. I didn't notice that you live in an apartment.

Gegzinite: You actually don't need a tablesaw to begin. There are cheaper ways to make those kinds of cuts. Just remember that, using a circular saw, God made the world in 6 days. If He had used a tablesaw, He would have finished in 3 days and the coastlines would be straight.

 

[jar944]

I have been interested in begin to do some woodworking lately.
I have no woodworking tools and are going to buy everything from the bottom (and are interested in buying everything of the best of the best (where money is no issue, but kept realistic) and was thinking about if there already was a thread in garagejournal with this discussion (just could'nt find it by using the search function) so was wondering if any have seen a discussion about the topic, so I don't ask the same questions again.

Best of the best, money no object and keep it realistic are on two separate ends of the spectrum.

As already posted what do you want to build? And spend..

I can suggest Martin shaper for $60,000, it's the best of the best but it might not be what you want, or could fit in an apartment.

I'm assuming hand tools based on the location?

 

[Gezginite]

Gezginite: Welcome. I don't know of a thread like the one you mentioned. Don't worry about asking the same questions again. We are happy to share what we know. There is a lot to learn. Be patient and ask lots of questions.

You should first ask yourself about what kind of woodworking you want to do. Do you want to use power tools or hand tools? It's your choice. I think that most woodworkers use both types of tools but they may prefer to use one type more than the other.

I think that if you want to use mainly power tools then you will probably want a tablesaw first. There are lots of choices so be sure to ask about what to look for in order to find one that will do what you want.

If you mainly want to use hand tools then first look for a good plane and a good set of chisels. Again, there are lots of choices so ask lots of questions.

Also, you should expect to make some wrong choices. We all did.

Oh yeah, a good bench, and a good vise (vice), and lots of clamps (cramps). Have fun!

EDIT: I'm sorry. I didn't notice that you live in an apartment.

Gegzinite: You actually don't need a tablesaw to begin. There are cheaper ways to make those kinds of cuts. Just remember that, using a circular saw, God made the world in 6 days. If He had used a tablesaw, He would have finished in 3 days and the coastlines would be straight.

Sounds good.
I'll just try to make some research of what I think I will need and what I consider to buy (models and brands), then you guys maybe can give some feedback
It is mainly the basic tools (no specialty tools) to be able to make the most things in wood, so just the basic of the basic to be able to do most projects.

Best of the best, money no object and keep it realistic are on two separate ends of the spectrum.

As already posted what do you want to build? And spend..

I can suggest Martin shaper for $60,000, it's the best of the best but it might not be what you want, or could fit in an apartment.

I'm assuming hand tools based on the location?

I would not say that they are in separate ends of the spectrum, but let me give you an example since you do not quite get what i mean.

If we specifically only look at hand planes I would say Lie nielson ($75-500) or Veritas ($40-400) is the best of the best where a non realistic choice would be holtey planes ($3000-9000).