Dean10's Blog at LumberJocks.com

Woodworking advice?!?! Pencil box

Dean10 — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 06:09:58 GMT

Hello everyone,
Havent been on in a while, senior year’s really busy. I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on a project i’m doing. My girl friends an artist, so for christmas I’m making her a pencil box with artsy stuff in it.. Anyways I found an awesome plan
(Click to see, http://books.google.com/books?id=p_YDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dq=pencil+box+by+steve+blenk&source=bl&ots=vcaPYvXFsn&sig=oHCp1meBhSiTXDY0ADg_zpw2GYY&hl=en&ei=K1XjTP-nOI2-sAOfq9Rm&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=pencil%20box%20by%20steve%20blenk&f=false),
but I have some concerns. The project calls for me to route out two single peices of wood to make a box. When I finish routing, the wall thickness is only supposed to be 3/16ths inches thick. Is that enough? I’m imagining it’ll break in the first week.. Also, Im supposed to glue two peices of wood together with minimal gluing surface, any advice on reinforcing it? Sorry I can’t post any pictures at this time, I will later next week though. Thanks for any comments! And your time!

Work bench #2: Creating the Legs and smoothing the top

Dean10 — Sat, 08 May 2010 06:14:28 GMT

Its been awhile, but this projects been extremely slow in the making. After making all those segments of my bench I glued them together and trimmed the ends… it ended up weighing about 150 lbs, freaking heavy. After I finished with the top I experimented with making some homemade dogs, and then started work on the legs. I know metal isnt very traditional, but it does save alot of time and its sturdy. This was my first welding experience and it was pretty fun, molten metal burned through my shoe, but fun all the same. This week I finally got it primed up and painted, I’ve been doing SAT and AP testing all week which has been a real hassle, but come next week I should have it in my shed. One last note, the things wider than the shed door, so I gotta assemble it in there xD

Wood issues...

Dean10 — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 04:08:43 GMT

Hey folks. Its my birthday in 3 days, and for it my “biological dad” sent me this slab of wood and a giftcard for rockler in the mail. Now the giftcard I love, because I shouldnt have a problem finding something I want that I can use with it, but the slabs another matter. Its about 6 inches deep, 8 across and 20 long, with spines on the bottom of it. Im going to be working with all handtools this summer, and if I could make this into lumber i’d be alot happier, anyone got any suggestions? Also, i have no idea on the woodtype, but its very dense

How much is too much??

Dean10 — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:07:34 GMT

Right now i’m preparing my shop for the summer. Making mallets, a huge tool chest and a work bench in my schools woodshop.. (Btw, im currently choosing the legs, would metal or wood be better? Any insight?) and also purchasing my tools. This summer i’m going with all hand tools, with the exception of a router because molding planes are way to expensive. I have a buget of 2500 to spend on tools & wood. I’ve been wanting these really nice matsumura chisels, but buying a set can get pretty expensive. The three main expenses in buying tools are going to come from buying the saws, planes and chisels. Anyone have comments on how much I should or shouldnt spend? Whats the diffence between stanley saws and lie-nelsion? Or hand wrought japanese chisels to blue marples? I havent worked with high quality hand tools, how much of a difference does it make? Any suggestions on what kinda tools I should purchase?

Work bench #1: Preparing and gluing the top.

Dean10 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:41:59 GMT

Right now I’m making a bench for woodworking this summer. Ive started with the top. To begin, I salvaged wood from my schools old gym floor (Hard rock maple, absolutely freeee, because i have friends in high places :D), next, i took out all the nails and trimmed up the end grain. Then my instructure helped me rip off the grove and tongue joints from the flooring, and I planed it to nice looking peices of lumber. Tonight me and him glued up 1 of 3 segments of the table, which i’ll plane prior to joining all three. so far its coming along rather nicely. Any comments/ suggestions?
!http://!
!http://!
!http://!