devann's Blog at LumberJocks.com

First time tool gloat

devann — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:56:02 GMT

Every once in a while somebody gives me an antique tool. Today was another one of those days. Today I was given a Stanley No. 62 1/2”x 24” folding wood ruler. It seems to be in fairly good shape and I was tickled to receive it.

In the past I have arrived to the shop and found some old tools left in a box outside my shop door. Here are a couple examples.

The top one is about 9” overall. And the bottom one is 13” overall. They both have the word Ward and a makers mark stamped on them.

This wood bodied plane is 8” long with a 2” blade. The blade has Ohio Tool Co. stamped on it.

Picture frame profiles

devann — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:53:17 GMT

I was checking out some picture frames that spunwood has on the site and ask to see some profiles. My request was granted so now it’s my turn. I went out to the shop and took these pictures. Hope that this helps those of us that don’t have molding cutters see another way to do it.

This one is weathered cedar and a piece of redwood cut with a cove bit on the routertable and a piece of longleaf pine with a rabbet cut making the inside of the frame.

Here I used ipe with sedona red stain, piece of longleaf pine with a roundover bit and then a rabbet cut on the other side so it could be joined to the ipe. The inside piece is ipe colored with balck walnut stain. Again, I used a round over bit and made a rabbet cut to join to the larger piece of ipe.

The cross section shown on the left here is the above frame. The center cross section is made up from two pieces of spruce pine glued together with an oak colored stain, I uesd a double roman ogee bit for the top half and a 45 degreebit, roundover bit, and rabbet bit for the bottom half. The cross section pictured on the right is the same as above but a different color and redwood instead of pine.

Here are the three samples that are pictured above showing the different colors

Here is an ipe left the natural color, lined with redwood and finished on the inside with ipe colored with black walnut stain.

Here’s a new one. I made this for a mirror frame.

Boice Crane tablesaw upgrades II

devann — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:22:32 GMT

I finished the outfeed extension for my tablesaw over the weekend. I used all cutoffs, no new wood here I’m trying to keep the cost down. So far I have $250.00 spent on the saw but it was a package deal. There was a 10” Delta mitersaw in the deal too. The only cash spent for the upgrade so far was for a pair of Stanley braces used for the exstension support and a couple gate hinges for the folding legs. The piano hinge was given to me, lucky me. T-nuts and screws I already had. I would have like to have made the extension a little wider to match the top of the tablsaw but that would of meant cutting some full sheets of plywood and I’m saving that stuff for paying customers. My goal here is to get has much tablesaw as possible for the least amount of cash spent.

I added a fixed portion to the table top across the back over the motor. On this part of the extension the legs are fixed and braced to support the folding section. The legs and bracing are screwed and not glued so I can take it apart later if when I move it to a new shop. The folding section is held to the fixed section with a piano hinge and supported in the down position by the steel corner braces. I didn’t want the folding section hanging by the scerws in the piano hinge.

The saw top was just over 10 sq.ft. before adding the extensions. With the folding top in the up position now I have a little over 27 sq.ft. Total cost, less than $20.00 plus time to build.

Well my next improvement is going to mean opening up the wallet. I want a bigger and better on/off switch mounted higher and closer to the front of the saw. The fence works fine, I’d like a newer one but I hate fixing what’s not broke. Still there is a jig I want to make that fits over the fence so I might sight that has reason enough to get a new one.
Any suggestiions for more improvements would be appreciated.

Here’s the fixed section attached to the tablesaw.

The out feed table fully extended.

This is the steel corner brace mounted to the fixed section shown with folding section in the down position.
I didn’t want the screws in the piano hinge bearing all the weight of the folding section when in the down position.

Here’s how I keep the folding legs from falling when I raise the folding section.

I also made four blade inserts from some 3/4” birch plywood that I found cleaning up the shop. The original insert had been modified to accept a dado so I needed something with a little tighter fit. It’s a shame too because that thing must weigh 4-5 lbs. Because I used the lighter plywood I had to make a way to secure the insert to the saw. I overcame this with clips that I made from a metal framing stud giving me something to scerw the plywood insert to. I made inserts for my other tablesaw years ago and so far I have only used four of them. I change the insert everytime I set the saw to a new angle.

This is the insert that come with the saw.

This is a picture of the clips installed.

This is one of the clips made from the metal framing stud.

Here is the plywood insert screwed to the clips. I used a skilsaw to open up the slot a little.

Boice Crane tablesaw upgrade

devann — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:24:08 GMT

I’ve been wanting to do some improvments to my tablesaw and I finally got the first one done. My tablesaw is a Boice Crane and has been around for while. I know only the old timers have heard of a Boice Crane, thought y’all might like a trip down memory lane. It’s a second hand tablsaw but it does what a tablesaw is suppose to do, and that’s all that matters. I’ve been wanting to box in the bottom and hook up the vacum to it. I made some before and after pictures so here you go.

Here I added a couple pieces of metal stud to form the box.

Here it is boxed in and ready to go. The material used to build the box is FRP (fire retardant panel). It’s that stuff you see covering the walls in the kitchen and bathrooms at your favorite fastfood joint.

Now I’m ready for an outfeed extension.

Update. I went digging around the web and found a shop manual. This saw is a 1964 Model 4500 that they called the Challenger. So, it’s not as old as I thought it is.
I made four plywood inserts for the saw blade today. The metal one that is on the saw has been modified to accept a dado setup. I don’t like a big hole around my blade so I made a snug insert, 0/90, and left three blank for whatever angle I encounter in the future. I’ll post y’all some pictures when I get the outfeed table done.

Chisel covers that work

devann — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 06:19:10 GMT

Here is something that I hope y’all can use. Homemade chisel covers that will actually stay on the chisel when carried in a toolbox. So that I can haul chisels to a job in my toolbox tray I make these covers to protect them from damage. I have also found them to be handy when I’m working at a workbench because they’ll keep the chisel from rolling off onto the floor. Chisel safety is also improved.

To make them I use plastic sports drink tops and cut a slot with my coping saw.

More inexpensive shelving

devann — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 23:32:23 GMT

I know, more cheap shelves. Let’s face it, most of us would rather buy tools not shelves. With that in mind here is a shlef that only requires 2×4s, 1/2” plywood, wood screws,& some nuts,bolts, & washers. I have seen quite a few of your workshops out there, And a lot of you have metal buildings with C or Z purlins to columns type metal building construction. So this will be the kind of drawing that I’m posting today. You can apply the same principles to a building constructed with wood stud framed walls with minor alterations.
You begin by attaching 2×4s plumb at four foot centers to the purlins on the wall you where want the shelf. Then using your table saw cut a 3/4”x1 1/2” rip from a 2×4 forming a notch that will hold the back of the shelf on the wall and also serve has a lip along the back of the shelf. Rip the plywood to the desired width. Attach the 3/4” rip you cut out of the 2×4 to the front underside of the plywood. Level the notched 2×4 across the plumb 2×4s at the desired height. Attach the back of the plywood shelf to the notched 2×4 and prop up or hang (whatever method is easiest for you) the shelf level, front to back. Miter cut 2×4 bracing to fit under the front lip of the shelf and fit to the plumb 2×4 supporting the shelf. I like to cut my bracing at 60/30 degress so I can space another shelf closer than at 45/45 degree miters.

Below is a picture of shelves that I made using this method. Note* I did “chinups” on the front of these shelves to test them for strength. They held up my 180lbs with no deflection. The shelves are pictured in the center left. That is an overhead lumber rack in the upper left hand part of the picture.

Cheap adjustable shelving

devann — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:08:48 GMT

Here’s an example if an adjustable shelf I made that’s very inexpensive. You can make this project whatever size you need. I used two 2×6 for the legs. I cut dados every 9” slightly wider than the plywood shelf. I used my router with a templete bit and a jig that I use when I make bookcases. Then I ripped the 2×6s in half to give me four legs. After that I routed the outside of the legs with a roundover bit.

For the shelving I used plywood cut to the size shelf I needed and then drilled two pocket holes in each corner on the bottem side. I then installed T-nuts and carriage bolts at the bottem of the legs so I could level the shelf. A couple rips to brace the back and you’re done fabricating. Assemble by installing the top and bottem plywood shelf, stand up, level and plumb the unit securing the X-brace. Then install plywood shelves into the desired grooves and fasten.

Jigsaw table

devann — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 07:30:46 GMT

Here’s the smallest table in my shop. I built it because I needed to cut small radius with my jigsaw and didn’t want to be cutting into my workbench. There’s not much to it. Four legs, a 4×4 with some pocket holes at the top to attach a small piece of replaceable plywood to. Besides using for cuttig with the jigsaw, I use it when I want to drill a hole through something and I don’t want a hole in my workbench. It also comes in handy for routing smaller pieces useing a template.

And while I have routing on the brain, Here’s a tip: On my workbench I drilled a series of 1/4” holes in a line. And a few holes in a line at a right angle so I can insert 1/4” adjustable shelf pins. I use these so I don’t have to “chase” my board that I’m edge routing. The pins are short enough to allow the routerbit to pass right over them has I rout the board.

I set my jigsaw on it so you could get an idea of the table size.

Scroll saw Heart shape bowl

devann — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:51:19 GMT

After seeing all the fine scroll saw work on this site I wanted to share some pictures of a bowl that I acquired from a consignment shop where I sell furniture and other things that I build. First off let me be clear, I DID NOT MAKE THIS BOWL. I contacted Martin and he said this was the place for it, just credit the author. I do not know who made this bowl.

The story from the consignment shop owner is it belonged to some fellow and had been handed down thourgh the family. The guy didn’t want it anymore so the bowl was for sale for $5.00 at the consignment shop. I saw it and had to have it. The owner gave it to me. I know, the wood is worth more than $5.00, crazy huh? Sometimes you just get lucky. So I wanted to share my good luck with all you scroll saw users out there, here’s you another project to make, have fun. The bowl is 11” wide across the handle. Made from oak.