bigfish_95008's Blog at LumberJocks.com http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:37:37 GMT Trapezoids http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/29091 Recently I have been cutting some narrower parts on the saw. They kept coming out as trapezoids instead of square pieces of wood as I had intended. I have check the blade to be square to the table top multiple times and I still get trapezoids. Being a Shopsmith, it is good to check for square after every operation. I started looking into the problem seriously yesterday to see where my out of square issue was rearing it’s ugly head. The insert! It has always sat a little low in it’s home so I started shimming it up with several layers of tape, but it was still not correct. With several straight edges and a machinist square I started looking at the flatness of the insert itself. Along its length it was probably out of flatness by almost a 1/16th”. This I did not consider to be a real problem as it is screwed down on what, after checking with a straight edge, are level surfaces and would be pulled into a flat condition by the screws holding it down – that was confirmed later and actually needed to be tweeked just a little to get it to pull down flat. The real problem was across the insert from side to side. Checking it with a straight edge, both sides on either side of the blade, were pushed down in the center. The left side was not worth dealing with as the amount of light coming though was small. The right side, on the other hand, (at proof read I got my own pun) was pushed down across it width to be about a 1/16th” out of flatness – it’s width is only 1/2-3/4” – that seemed pretty drastic to me – but how to flatten it?? I was not able to bend it with my hands and keep in mind that it is cast aluminum so reefing on it too much could be problematic and breaking it would mean ordering a new one from Shopsmith, which would mean the saw is down for a week. With a pair of channel locks I was able to grab it in such a way as to not damage it and gently encourage it back to flat. With a little more tape for shims I was able to get it sit fairly flush. I trimmed up the pieces I was working on and low and behold little rectangles!
Allen

]]> Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:37:37 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/29091 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Ebonizing oak with vinegar and steel wool solution. http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/28032 A while back I was reading about using vinegar and steel wool to ebonize wood – particularly Oaks. I took the last of the wife’s vinegar and and some steel wool threw them in an old peanut butter jar and set it on the shelf. Nothing seemed to be happening with it – don’t know what I was expecting, but even after a few days in solution there was not significant color change of the liquid. Yesterday, a fabulous day here in SOCAL by the way, I looked at the solution and noticed a bit of settling. After shaking it up to mix it the solution turned almost black. After straining it through some cheesecloth the wife dipped a couple of woods in to see what would result, interesting, very interesting. The oak that I was hoping to use it on turned a almost red after drying and was very rough. After resanding it to 220 it felt smooth again but was still and ugly color red. I decided to try some linseed oil on it to “wet” it – WOW – did that make the process worth while. The oak turned a dark black and the grain really lit up. Time for some assembly of parts to see if it contrasts with the other oak parts well. Once the clock’s is assembled I’ll post some pictures of all 12 using various woods and finishing processes
Have a great day out there.
Allen

]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:10:08 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/28032 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Woodworking in America 2012 http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/27892 Have you heard the news, it’s all over town, Betty Lou’s getting out tonight. OK, OK, I go carried away with my fav Bob Segar, but did you hear about Woodworking in America coming to the west cost on October 12-14 in Pasadena, CA, that’s right, SOCAL’s very own Pasadena. I can’t wait!

]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:39:16 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/27892 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Stupidity or How to Destroy a Dado Max in Easy Stroke http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/20812 Sunday I had the Dado Max out to cut some dados in a box that the scroll saw will sit on – the scroll saw stand is just to tall. I set up the first dado and it cut beautifully and then disaster struck, as Lowell Thomas would say, instead of turning the router off and unplunging the previously plunged router I lifted it out of the fixture, running at 25000 rpms and about an 1.5” of bit exposed – almost. The bit caught on the edge of the fixture lifting it off the clamp and started it spinning on the bit before being ejected off on to the bench. The bit chewed a nice rabbit in the fixture where the bushing rides. Don’t do this at Home Kids. This is, or, was a great tool. It sets to the board width easily and is quickly set to the dado location. Overall it is a great tool. Wish I hadn’t have ruined it.

]]> Wed, 26 Jan 2011 06:04:19 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/20812 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Go ahead guess what I saw http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/19317 I was up in Modesto on Friday morning driving north on 99 after dropping my daughter off for work. I drive up on a semi hauling a 60’ flatbed full of wood, you are probably asking why on earth is this idiot writing about seeing a semi hauling wood – I see that every time I get on the freeway. Well, it wasn’t just any kind of wood – it was walnut burls – one was the size of the outback. I have never had any reason to hijack a truck, till that day. To whomever was having those delivered – can we see pictures after you slab them out?

]]> Mon, 15 Nov 2010 01:33:16 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/19317 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Putting it all back together http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/17740 In a previous note here, Packing up the shop – again, I mentioned that we needed to move for several reasons. Well the first week of August we moved from the old place to the new. We have been setting up house and shop. We moved to a smaller house, but still have 2 garage bays. Having a wall separating the 2 sides is almost a blessing. There is more wall space to hang stuff from and I don’t have 220VAC so I can’t set up the Unisaw with 52” fence so having the width is not necessary. The Unisaw and 15” planer, sit against the wall in there permanent homes, at least for this place. There are 2 homes on this property with both circuit panels coming from one feed. Every time I run a saw lights dim in both houses. I can’t imagine running those big beasts converted to 110VAC. The jointer and DC can be easily converted so I will still have those to work with. The Shopsmith, that has been used mostly as a disk sander of late, will get pressed back into full service. After having a big cabinet saw, I hope I can live with the unique limitations of the Shopsmith. I am looking for a bench top planer and a contractor saw on CL. If I can find them in my price range I’ll pick them up, but with the wife unemployed, the price has to be pretty low. We like many in this world today have had to trim expenses dramatically, but I praise God that he made all the criteria fall in place, and we are still able to have our toys with us and be able to use them – they are not tucked away in a storage locker somewhere. We continue to be blessed everyday when we go out to the shop and I am building and the wife is finishing/refinishing. With Christmas coming, the shop will be up and running just in time for the big build season on top of the projects my wife has requested for the new place – plate rack for over the sink and a hall tree for the entryway. So i guess I better get my tail out there and finish organizing stuff.
Have a great day.
Making sawdust and kindling- Allen

]]> Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:17:16 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/17740 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Packing the shop - again! http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/16914 I am presently in the process of packing my shop. This is the 3 time in 5 years I have had to do this. Each time there are more tools than the time before.
The place we are presently living is a bit high priced for just my income. The need to reduce our monthly expenses forces us to move. My wife has been trying to find work for about a year since I transferred down here. She has had several good opportunities come here way, but ends up being second in line. It has been very frustrating for her, and me by association.
The old statement – You can never have enough clams – is true – UNTIL YOU HAVE TO MOVE THEM!
This past year has seen my wood working skills grow by leaps and bounds. The prospect of not having a shop for the foreseeable future is very frustrating. We are looking for the right place so that I can continue to have shop space, but we seem to beaten out on the places that seem to be right. Either the Lord has a new plan for my/our life or the perfect place is still out there waiting for us to find it.
So if you know anyone in the LA area with 3br, 2ba home with a LARGE 2 car garage for rent let me know I would like to take a look at it.
Have a great day!

]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:36:59 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/16914 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 So disipointed with Penn State. http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/14063 During the Christmas break I sent an email to Penn State Tools trying to get information on converting my older, bought used, DC-1B dust collector from 110V to 220V. I had checked their site and there is no info what soever on the conversion or even a PDF of the owners manual. I didn’t hear a word from them, but it was Christmas so I cut them some slack as all you would get if you called my office would have been voicemail. I sent another email requesting the same info in mid January. Again not a word from them. I sent another email last week. I mentioned that it was the 3rd email I had sent and if I didn’t get some assistance I was going to give a very negative review on Lumberjocks. Well, Monday I had just put everything away and locked up the shop when I received a call from them wanting to walk me through it over the phone. I really didn’t, and probably rarely would, have time to be walked through this particular operation. I requested that he just send me an owners manual and I would follow the directions there. I received the owners manual today. A very poor photo copy by the way. There is not one word in the manual of how to make the conversion. I know I could call them and get the info I want, but who wants to spend a bunch of time waiting in the voicemail pit. Just have the info of your complete product line up on your site and make it available to people. Now I have to start all over. Wonderful.

]]> Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:26:30 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/14063 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Lie Neilsen tool show http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/13375 Yesterday, Friday January 29, I had planed to spend the afternoon at Cerritos College for the Lie Nielsen tool show, but alas I had to work last night. I had offered to help a friend with a kitchen island project he is having issues with on Saturday. He doesn’t have a lot of experience with this stuff and knows I have all the tools. When I found out about working last night I told my friend that I only had 4 hours for his project as I am leaving at noon to head to the tool show. So if you are there this afternoon say hi – oh me 6’2”, glases and bald on top.

]]> Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:00:55 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/13375 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Find the wood. http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/12279 My son called recently and told me what he wanted for Christmas. A simple wall hung display cabinet for his military challenge coins. While I am home at my dad’s house I thought I would go through his wood piles and see what I can find. He has a little of this and a little of that for scrapes that are stuffed above the work bench. Being a small case cabinet I figure I should be able to find the right pieces in several different species. There is ash, hickory, apple, several differnt oaks, maple catelpa and even some mahogany. We will see what we can do as far as grain matching is concerned. Then I just have to box it up and send it back home. First I need to get the heat going in there. It is easier to work when you can feel your hands. LOL.

]]> Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:33:46 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/12279 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 December 6 2009 http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/12258 Now it is where I wanted it. Still figuring this all out.

Had a great day in the shop with Dad. His recovery from the fall is progressing well. His shop – well it is going to take another good couple of days to clear away junk. A fire was going, some might think a little to good as the filter caught fire, but the barn still stands. The shop is just a mess. I did find a cabinet that is sorely under utilized. It now has 2 new shelves in it and most of the blow molded boxes now have a home. The outfeed bench is clear enough that I was able to rip a big panel so that is progress. I was able to, late in the day, get some finish on one of the trivets. WOW!!!! The grain really comes alive. I have pics – now to get them out of the camera. No media reader here so have to go through the camera. Those will be posted soon. I bid you adue presently from the Flint MI area.

]]> Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:02:31 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/12258 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008 Fish Stick Trivet w/modifications http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/12237 I needed a small, quick project for Christmas presents. I saw the, I Can Do It, section of Popular Wood working – the fish stick trivet. I had to make some modifications to it – the wife thought the head was to small. I started making just a couple for family It is amazing how many of those things can be cut out of a small cut off. Counted up the trivets – 45 so far. They just kind of multiplied in the night or something. 10 have already been given away without finish – they looked a little bland. Home, in Michigan, visiting family at the moment. Talked with Dad about finish. He suggested clear Danish oil. It looks great on his floor so I am going to test it on one in Mom’s finishing room later today. Wow – her finishing room is twice as big as my shop. Of course Dad’s shop is about 10 times the space I have. I only brought 15 trivets with me. Hope I have enough for everyone. Photos soon.

]]> Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:23:50 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/bigfish_95008/blog/12237 bigfish_95008 bigfish_95008