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313K views 676 replies 100 participants last post by  retired_guru 
#1 ·
Aches, pains and pallet wood, oh my!

Following its recent successful creation, I opted to give Franken-Rack free rein to terrorize the domain. It was my hope that it would bring home the finest lumber in all the land. Instead, it brought me pallet and crate wood. Several times I have berated the misbegotten creation, but to no avail. It is obvious to me now that the creature enjoys domination over the rough, mistreated wood that will require hours of hacking and mutilation on my part to make use of its offerings. Franken-Rack will be the death of me. I'm sure of it. Mark my words…

~~~

I spend about 6 hours between yesterday and today breaking up pallets and crate wood, prying nails from both the good and bad pieces. I'm certain I have developed tennis elbow from all the hammering and prying. That's okay, because I have still have the left one. There is something to be said for having a spare. All in all, I can't complain. Since working on the Franken-Rack-and all the work I have been doing to disassemble pallets, clear out space for the a shop in the dungeon-I have been feeling…satisfied. Content. Fulfilled. What a feeling. I had forgotten.

And speaking of how I feel, time to take a pain-killer. Then I better check on Franken-Rack: I caught it the other day trying to grab a street cat attempting to mark my tires.
 
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#457 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - South Room Construction

In my previous blog post I gave a tour of The Dungeon Workshop. Near the end was a picture of what I call the South Room (SR). From the picture you can see it has been a catch-all for what I don't know what to do with. I vowed this year the crap would go, the tools would get sorted and put away, and raw materials placed where I could draw from when needed. Accumulation of tools, equipment and supplies have only added to the mess I started with. I need the space. I needed to be able to find my stuff!

Cloud Morning Sky Tints and shades Audio equipment


Earlier this week I cleaned out the SR, which of course meant I littered the rest of the shop. The following pictures define what I am working with, panning from right to left:

Wood Wall Gas Brick Brickwork


Road surface Building Wood Bedrock Gas


Wood Gas Electrical wiring Machine Metal


Wood Hardwood Tints and shades Flooring Fixture


Wood Floor Brick Flooring Road surface


Construction grade plywood isn't cheap in my neck of the woods. It's also crappy stuff, having many voids between layers and on the surface. It's also impossible for me to get a 4'x8' sheet down into the dungeon. I needed 64" to span the width of the wall. What I had plenty of were used 3/4" pine boards, reclaimed lumber.

Wood Gas Tints and shades Hardwood Brickwork


This summer I helped out with my Dad's Estate sale. I built two tables out of pallets and reclaimed lumber for displaying goods indoors. I also made a top that would rest on two sawhorse to be used outdoors under cover. Back then I built these with bringing them back to the shop afterward in mind. This is the larger of the two, to be put up against the newly made wall. At this point, I have added two opposing sides braces running the widest area and adjustable feet I have kept from an old steel office desk I sold to the autocrusher.

Table Outdoor table Wood Wheel Picnic table


I removed angle braces on what would become the front of the bench and added a shelf below. I thought it was an interesting coincidence that I could just fit in the required number of two-bys and have just enough space left over for a 1/2" board on edge at each end. The bench's dimension fit well against the wall space.

Table Furniture Wood Desk Plant


Here is the smaller bench, with the same leg bracing and bottom shelf construction of the larger bench. At this point I haven't screwed down the shelf boards. Once again, the two-bys fit snuggly within the dimensions provided by the earlier construction. I couldn't have planned this better. The Wood Goddess must have been guiding me in my 'ad hoc' construction. ;)

Wood Rectangle Wood stain Plank Hardwood


After the shelf is screwed down, I will be making a couple of drawers for it. More pictures later.
 

Attachments

#458 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - South Room Construction

In my previous blog post I gave a tour of The Dungeon Workshop. Near the end was a picture of what I call the South Room (SR). From the picture you can see it has been a catch-all for what I don't know what to do with. I vowed this year the crap would go, the tools would get sorted and put away, and raw materials placed where I could draw from when needed. Accumulation of tools, equipment and supplies have only added to the mess I started with. I need the space. I needed to be able to find my stuff!

Cloud Morning Sky Tints and shades Audio equipment


Earlier this week I cleaned out the SR, which of course meant I littered the rest of the shop. The following pictures define what I am working with, panning from right to left:

Wood Wall Gas Brick Brickwork


Road surface Building Wood Bedrock Gas


Wood Gas Electrical wiring Machine Metal


Wood Hardwood Tints and shades Flooring Fixture


Wood Floor Brick Flooring Road surface


Construction grade plywood isn't cheap in my neck of the woods. It's also crappy stuff, having many voids between layers and on the surface. It's also impossible for me to get a 4'x8' sheet down into the dungeon. I needed 64" to span the width of the wall. What I had plenty of were used 3/4" pine boards, reclaimed lumber.

Wood Gas Tints and shades Hardwood Brickwork


This summer I helped out with my Dad's Estate sale. I built two tables out of pallets and reclaimed lumber for displaying goods indoors. I also made a top that would rest on two sawhorse to be used outdoors under cover. Back then I built these with bringing them back to the shop afterward in mind. This is the larger of the two, to be put up against the newly made wall. At this point, I have added two opposing sides braces running the widest area and adjustable feet I have kept from an old steel office desk I sold to the autocrusher.

Table Outdoor table Wood Wheel Picnic table


I removed angle braces on what would become the front of the bench and added a shelf below. I thought it was an interesting coincidence that I could just fit in the required number of two-bys and have just enough space left over for a 1/2" board on edge at each end. The bench's dimension fit well against the wall space.

Table Furniture Wood Desk Plant


Here is the smaller bench, with the same leg bracing and bottom shelf construction of the larger bench. At this point I haven't screwed down the shelf boards. Once again, the two-bys fit snuggly within the dimensions provided by the earlier construction. I couldn't have planned this better. The Wood Goddess must have been guiding me in my 'ad hoc' construction. ;)

Wood Rectangle Wood stain Plank Hardwood


After the shelf is screwed down, I will be making a couple of drawers for it. More pictures later.
Nicely done Paul. Your workshop is progressing.
 

Attachments

#460 ·
Resurrecting a Coffin Smoother - Part I

My Dad acquired a beat-up coffin smoother a long time ago. Either he abused it or got it from someone who had. At some point he decided it wasn't worth much, stuck it in a cubbyhole in his basement, and there is sat for several decades. I came along this past summer and figured I would try to make it useful again. I posted the following picture here before. This gives you a 'Beginning' picture of the project I'm taking on.

Wood Rectangle Artifact Serveware Font


I needed to seal up the blown out fractures in the cheeks. I used Original Formula Titebond (I) and compressed the fractures between calls as tight as I could get the clamp to go.

Wood Tool Fashion accessory Metal Antique tool


It occurred to me that by not placing wax paper between the calls and body, the glue might bond itself to the calls as well. About 6 hours later I removed the clamp and calls. Not bad.

Wood Tints and shades Landscape Concrete Art


Natural material Wood Rectangle Artifact Composite material


The left side call did stick a little, but no real damage to worry about. And the glue appears to be holding. Tomorrow I will sand the sides and top, see whether to reinforce the fractures with epoxy (to fill in and allow smoothing over) or leave as is.

After I get the outside of the body cleaned up I will work on the iron and cap iron. I need to see how the wedge fits, whether it will hold tight within what is left of the shoulders. If not, I have some ideas on how to either repair or replace them.
 

Attachments

#461 ·
Resurrecting a Coffin Smoother - Part II

The glued fractures appear to be holding up well. Since the fractures weren't smooth and the sole wasn't flat-with major gouges between the mouth and toe-I decided to take some course grit to the outside and flatten the sole.

Wood Artifact Rectangle Plywood Hardwood


Wood Natural material Hardwood Fashion accessory Tree


The sole is flat and the gouges are gone.

Wood Natural material Hardwood Tree Lumber


Progressing through the grits should make this look, feel and work better once finished.

The wedge is shot. A replacement will have to be made.

Wood Natural material Anvil Metal Fashion accessory


The trouble area is really between the wedge and the cheek shoulders. The shoulders are chewed up all around.

Wood Tints and shades Composite material Metal Concrete


The thin white line between the wedge and the iron assembly is light shining through.

Wood Natural material Helmet Metal Gas


A couple ideas had hit me on how to fix this. I could chop out the damaged area and put in new wood that can be shaped into a complete, accurate shoulder. I could also carve back the damaged areas, straighten and even out the shoulder at the mouth, then add a cross pin near the top of the cheeks to keep the wedge tight against the iron assembly. I'll decide when I get to that point.

The iron is in need of a new bevel and edge. It's not square and unevenly shaped.

Brown Rectangle Wood Natural material Metal

Office ruler Ruler Material property Measuring instrument Font


The chip breaker appears to only need a good cleaning and a little flattening at the leading edge.

Finger Amber Artifact Natural material Metal
 

Attachments

#462 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - South Room Construction - Part II

The South Room will never make it in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens. For what I need, it's coming along better than expected. I'm not done with the space.

Wood Gas Flooring Machine Bathroom


The East (left side) and South walls are damp, even wet, all year round, so I doubt I will ever stud up a wall. I also doubt the gold colored steel cabinet will stay there. For now it keeps me from bumping my ribs or head against the capped off gas line service coming out of the wall. You can see the capped end to the left of The Washboard sitting atop of the cabinet.

Computer desk Table Wood Interior design Flooring


The sister gold cabinet sits between the sewer pipe and bench. A good place for it. The Kobalt steel tool chest's handle broke off, so I stripped it of it latching hardware. Now it's a benchtop tool chest.

Furniture Table Shelf Wood Building


The shelf is as thick as you see it in this photo. Three of the five braces are on studs, so I'm comfortable with the weight of parts cabinets upon it. This bench will eventually be for electronics and scale modeling projects.

Wood Shelving Gas Hardwood Machine


Last week I made two shelves for the bench, replaced the nailed boards top with thick, vinyl veneered particle board. Above I used two of the three Rubbermaid shelf trays I acquired from my parents, spaced out to accommodate a small shelf unit to hold empty sanitary wipe containers.

I've relocating materials to this space when it makes sense to do so. I'll get the mess tamed soon enough.
 

Attachments

#463 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - South Room Construction - Part II

The South Room will never make it in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens. For what I need, it's coming along better than expected. I'm not done with the space.

Wood Gas Flooring Machine Bathroom


The East (left side) and South walls are damp, even wet, all year round, so I doubt I will ever stud up a wall. I also doubt the gold colored steel cabinet will stay there. For now it keeps me from bumping my ribs or head against the capped off gas line service coming out of the wall. You can see the capped end to the left of The Washboard sitting atop of the cabinet.

Computer desk Table Wood Interior design Flooring


The sister gold cabinet sits between the sewer pipe and bench. A good place for it. The Kobalt steel tool chest's handle broke off, so I stripped it of it latching hardware. Now it's a benchtop tool chest.

Furniture Table Shelf Wood Building


The shelf is as thick as you see it in this photo. Three of the five braces are on studs, so I'm comfortable with the weight of parts cabinets upon it. This bench will eventually be for electronics and scale modeling projects.

Wood Shelving Gas Hardwood Machine


Last week I made two shelves for the bench, replaced the nailed boards top with thick, vinyl veneered particle board. Above I used two of the three Rubbermaid shelf trays I acquired from my parents, spaced out to accommodate a small shelf unit to hold empty sanitary wipe containers.

I've relocating materials to this space when it makes sense to do so. I'll get the mess tamed soon enough.
You are making great progress Paul.
 

Attachments

#467 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - Clamp Rack

"Winning the war one battle at a time."

I've pretty much put on hold any woodworking projects until the dungeon workshop is organized to the point where everything is put away and I have at least a gambler's chance of finding things when I need them. With Christmas two and a half months away, it's imperative that I get to that point as soon as possible.

Wood Clock Gas Machine Engineering


I've found over the summer that studding up 'false walls' over field stone was a good way to reclaim this useless space. The stone wall in this picture was always dry, so it made sense to upcycle the last of the table tops I made for my father's Estate sale this summer; stand it on end and place it between studs running vertically from ceiling joist to floor. The construction has unexpectedly provided needed support for a loose joist, too.

We're getting there.
 

Attachments

#468 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - Clamp Rack

"Winning the war one battle at a time."

I've pretty much put on hold any woodworking projects until the dungeon workshop is organized to the point where everything is put away and I have at least a gambler's chance of finding things when I need them. With Christmas two and a half months away, it's imperative that I get to that point as soon as possible.

Wood Clock Gas Machine Engineering


I've found over the summer that studding up 'false walls' over field stone was a good way to reclaim this useless space. The stone wall in this picture was always dry, so it made sense to upcycle the last of the table tops I made for my father's Estate sale this summer; stand it on end and place it between studs running vertically from ceiling joist to floor. The construction has unexpectedly provided needed support for a loose joist, too.

We're getting there.
Nicely done Paul.
 

Attachments

#470 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - Reclaimed West Stone Wall Section

I needed more wall space to get hand and power tools organized and out in the open, so I decided to work over the small patch of stone wall between the benches on the West side of the shop.

Here is what the area looked like before conversion:
Wood Wall Vehicle Gas Flooring


The finished conversion:
Shelving Shelf Gas Wood Toolroom


Shelf Wood Shelving Gas Machine


The most important criteria was that nothing hanging or sitting on the shelves would be struck by hands, shoulders or hips while walking past the wall. I frequently rely upon the AC-powered B&D electric drill, especially at the main assembly and Windsor benches, so I wanted a simple mount to park it while it was still plugged in, and with whatever bit was in the chuck. Getting the folding 8" draw knife mounted where it can't fall or accidentally cut me was an unexpected plus!

Tomorrow I start on the new base for the router table, which will incorporate a automotive emergency scissor jack for the adjustable lift. I've already tested the jack out and it works very well.
 

Attachments

#471 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - Reclaimed West Stone Wall Section

I needed more wall space to get hand and power tools organized and out in the open, so I decided to work over the small patch of stone wall between the benches on the West side of the shop.

Here is what the area looked like before conversion:
Wood Wall Vehicle Gas Flooring


The finished conversion:
Shelving Shelf Gas Wood Toolroom


Shelf Wood Shelving Gas Machine


The most important criteria was that nothing hanging or sitting on the shelves would be struck by hands, shoulders or hips while walking past the wall. I frequently rely upon the AC-powered B&D electric drill, especially at the main assembly and Windsor benches, so I wanted a simple mount to park it while it was still plugged in, and with whatever bit was in the chuck. Getting the folding 8" draw knife mounted where it can't fall or accidentally cut me was an unexpected plus!

Tomorrow I start on the new base for the router table, which will incorporate a automotive emergency scissor jack for the adjustable lift. I've already tested the jack out and it works very well.
Your shop is getting full Paul, time to put these tools to work!!
 

Attachments

#473 ·
Hand Plane Till

Wood Gas Bottle Office equipment Hardwood


Earlier today I made a down-and-dirty hand plane till. Yesterday I hung the Stanley No. 5 and 6 on individual racks-lift up and pull out. Now it looks like I didn't have many. I guess not, but they sure took up a lot of bench top space before. Do I buy more planes and added on for them, or do I use the free space on the left for something else? Nah. You can never have too many hand planes. :)
 

Attachments

#474 ·
Hand Plane Till

Wood Gas Bottle Office equipment Hardwood


Earlier today I made a down-and-dirty hand plane till. Yesterday I hung the Stanley No. 5 and 6 on individual racks-lift up and pull out. Now it looks like I didn't have many. I guess not, but they sure took up a lot of bench top space before. Do I buy more planes and added on for them, or do I use the free space on the left for something else? Nah. You can never have too many hand planes. :)
SO very true… looking good
 

Attachments

#476 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - Scroll Saw Table

The last shop bench or table to be made is now complete. I had set aside to the left of the refurbished Blue Hawk router table enough space for a narrow table. Construction started this past Saturday.

I wanted it to be simple in design, using reclaimed lumber I had laying around on the premises. I also wanted it to be a generic design, just in case this old scroll saw of mine turns out to be a bad investment. This meant allowing ample leg room under the table from the ends as well as from the sides.

Wood Rectangle Art Toy Gas


The top is screwed and glued to the frame All other connections are made with glue and hardwood dowels.

Wood Floor Hardwood Flooring Engineering


Wood Engineering Composite material Gas Machine tool


The cross braces between the horizontal legs and vertical struts were added at the end to keep the unit from swaying under weight. I used box store furniture feet adjusters as levelers.

Wood Floor Gas Engineering Flooring


Table Furniture Wood Stool Floor


Tomorrow I will disassemble the scroll saw, clean and lube before trying it out for the first time.
 

Attachments

#477 ·
The Dungeon Workshop - Scroll Saw Table

The last shop bench or table to be made is now complete. I had set aside to the left of the refurbished Blue Hawk router table enough space for a narrow table. Construction started this past Saturday.

I wanted it to be simple in design, using reclaimed lumber I had laying around on the premises. I also wanted it to be a generic design, just in case this old scroll saw of mine turns out to be a bad investment. This meant allowing ample leg room under the table from the ends as well as from the sides.

Wood Rectangle Art Toy Gas


The top is screwed and glued to the frame All other connections are made with glue and hardwood dowels.

Wood Floor Hardwood Flooring Engineering


Wood Engineering Composite material Gas Machine tool


The cross braces between the horizontal legs and vertical struts were added at the end to keep the unit from swaying under weight. I used box store furniture feet adjusters as levelers.

Wood Floor Gas Engineering Flooring


Table Furniture Wood Stool Floor


Tomorrow I will disassemble the scroll saw, clean and lube before trying it out for the first time.
Paul, your woodworking skills are certainly improving with every project you complete. Nicely done table!!
 

Attachments

#479 ·
Harbor Freight's DrillMaster 2 HP Fixed Base Router Fix

Camera lens Camera accessory Cameras & optics Lens Digital camera


Last year I picked up the DrillMaster #68341 Fixed Base Router at a Harbor Freight store. With the workshop in such disarray at the time, it got put away and forgotten. Months later I found it and checked it out. Like many have complained, the machining of the aluminum router body is dramatically undersized in comparison to the fixed base. When the clamp on the base is engaged, the router is pushed off center. Too much time had passed since I bought it, and on a $60.00 USD item I won't pay for their extended warranty, so I put it away, writing it off as a poor purchase.

This summer I found the router, but couldn't find all the accessories that came with it, especially the collets to work with bit shanks smaller than one-half inch. After some frustrating searching, I put it away for the second time. Today I had this notion that I would again look for the collets and see if I could resolve the centering problem with the fixed base.

The basic idea I had was to remove the sloppy fit by applying layers of painters blue tape to the inside of the base until the base would snuggly screw onto the router body with the clamp fully open and relaxed. Four layers of tape were needed to achieve this and the fit is good enough that there is no longer any play between the base and router with the clamp open. Cinched down, there is barely any compression of the base at the clamp.

Fluid Material property Drinkware Gas Auto part


The next step was to remove the three base plate screws and rotate the plate until I found the best choice that centered the chuck. Slightly elongating the holes on the plastic base plate allowed for fine tuning. Since I don't have any template guides for this router, I used the largest 1/4" shank bit I had to help in centering. The carbide cutting edges happen to just fit within the recess are for the template guide. Moving the plate around until I the chuck was centered, then cinching down the screws, completed the fix.

Wheel Automotive tire Bicycle part Alloy wheel Locking hubs
 

Attachments

#480 ·
Harbor Freight's DrillMaster 2 HP Fixed Base Router Fix

Camera lens Camera accessory Cameras & optics Lens Digital camera


Last year I picked up the DrillMaster #68341 Fixed Base Router at a Harbor Freight store. With the workshop in such disarray at the time, it got put away and forgotten. Months later I found it and checked it out. Like many have complained, the machining of the aluminum router body is dramatically undersized in comparison to the fixed base. When the clamp on the base is engaged, the router is pushed off center. Too much time had passed since I bought it, and on a $60.00 USD item I won't pay for their extended warranty, so I put it away, writing it off as a poor purchase.

This summer I found the router, but couldn't find all the accessories that came with it, especially the collets to work with bit shanks smaller than one-half inch. After some frustrating searching, I put it away for the second time. Today I had this notion that I would again look for the collets and see if I could resolve the centering problem with the fixed base.

The basic idea I had was to remove the sloppy fit by applying layers of painters blue tape to the inside of the base until the base would snuggly screw onto the router body with the clamp fully open and relaxed. Four layers of tape were needed to achieve this and the fit is good enough that there is no longer any play between the base and router with the clamp open. Cinched down, there is barely any compression of the base at the clamp.

Fluid Material property Drinkware Gas Auto part


The next step was to remove the three base plate screws and rotate the plate until I found the best choice that centered the chuck. Slightly elongating the holes on the plastic base plate allowed for fine tuning. Since I don't have any template guides for this router, I used the largest 1/4" shank bit I had to help in centering. The carbide cutting edges happen to just fit within the recess are for the template guide. Moving the plate around until I the chuck was centered, then cinching down the screws, completed the fix.

Wheel Automotive tire Bicycle part Alloy wheel Locking hubs
Good thinking; great repair/modification!

Sometimes easy repairs work very well. Nice repair and now it will probably be a good friend to you.

Somehow I seem to modify a lot of the tools that I buy. Even the expensive ones seem to need a tuning.

My Jet 6 by 48" belt sander that I have had about 6 years finally had a new (never had one ) bottom boot made by me from scrap plastic that was a dumpster find. The heat gun shrank it for a better fit to the base. Now the Dust system that it hooks too does much better.
 

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#482 ·
Joiners Mallet

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Gas Font


I've been wanting a larger mallet for chisel work, but until now didn't have a large enough piece of hardwood. The head is oak, part of a pallet runner I acquired in the summer. The handle was make from a section of an old, discarded TruValue snow shovel handle; probably ash. I mounted the handle in my lathe and reduced the section that will fit into the 1" hole made in the head. The faces have a 2 degree rake toward the handle. Some subtle work was done on the rest of the handle for a more comfortable grip. Epoxy was used to glue the tight-fitting handle to the head. One coat of Danish oil for the finish.

Wood Rectangle Flooring Wood stain Hardwood


Update: A day later, I got a chance to find out if the mallet was going to be an asset in the shop. I clamped down a thin scrap of poplar and chopped a square through-mortise the width of a Harbor Freight chisel that was sharp enough to cut you, but not able to shave the hairs off your arm. The mallet worked better than I had hoped for.

Table Wood Hardwood Gas Wood stain


I was surprised at what little effort I had to put into each swing. I wasn't sure the mallet had enough weight for chopping out mortises. Remember, not the sharpest chisel in the lot. ;)

Rectangle Gas Composite material Concrete Metal


"My kingdom for a tenon!"

Rectangle Wood Wood stain Hardwood Table


"No pain, all gain." Works well enough for what I can do. Passed! (My first truly useful mallet!)
 

Attachments

#483 ·
Joiners Mallet

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Gas Font


I've been wanting a larger mallet for chisel work, but until now didn't have a large enough piece of hardwood. The head is oak, part of a pallet runner I acquired in the summer. The handle was make from a section of an old, discarded TruValue snow shovel handle; probably ash. I mounted the handle in my lathe and reduced the section that will fit into the 1" hole made in the head. The faces have a 2 degree rake toward the handle. Some subtle work was done on the rest of the handle for a more comfortable grip. Epoxy was used to glue the tight-fitting handle to the head. One coat of Danish oil for the finish.

Wood Rectangle Flooring Wood stain Hardwood


Update: A day later, I got a chance to find out if the mallet was going to be an asset in the shop. I clamped down a thin scrap of poplar and chopped a square through-mortise the width of a Harbor Freight chisel that was sharp enough to cut you, but not able to shave the hairs off your arm. The mallet worked better than I had hoped for.

Table Wood Hardwood Gas Wood stain


I was surprised at what little effort I had to put into each swing. I wasn't sure the mallet had enough weight for chopping out mortises. Remember, not the sharpest chisel in the lot. ;)

Rectangle Gas Composite material Concrete Metal


"My kingdom for a tenon!"

Rectangle Wood Wood stain Hardwood Table


"No pain, all gain." Works well enough for what I can do. Passed! (My first truly useful mallet!)
Nice combination of scrap materials Paul. I like your re-purposed mallet.
 

Attachments

#487 ·
Repair Broken Handle on Antique Rolling Pin

Some time this century the wife asked me to repair the broken handle on her grandmother's hand-me-down rolling pin. In an effort to get caught up on the 'Honey-Do' list (and win some brownie points), I made this one of today's projects.

Wood Office supplies Tints and shades Writing implement Natural material


Here is the rolling pin with the broken shaft on the left. The end button has been sawed off, to be attached to the new shaft.

Wood Soil Cylinder Metal Circle


The new shaft is at the bottom right. This was a standard 5/8" hardwood dowel that had to be turned down to approximately 1/2" on the inserted end and slightly smaller than the dowel's diameter to fit the inside of the handle. The step down is because I don't have twist or brad bits larger than 1/2". I couldn't have made this without my new Nova G3 chuck.

Wood Machine tool Gas Cylinder Composite material


Wood Cylinder Wood stain Hardwood Plywood


I drilled a deep 1/2" hole into the end of the pin, added glue and inserted the thinner end of the new shaft into the pin. A shallow hole was drilled into the end button and a short 1/4" dowel was glued in. A 1/4" holed was drilled into the new shaft to receive it.

Wood Wood stain Cylinder Metal Event


Completed pin. Handle rolls like the original.
 

Attachments

#488 ·
Repair Broken Handle on Antique Rolling Pin

Some time this century the wife asked me to repair the broken handle on her grandmother's hand-me-down rolling pin. In an effort to get caught up on the 'Honey-Do' list (and win some brownie points), I made this one of today's projects.

Wood Office supplies Tints and shades Writing implement Natural material


Here is the rolling pin with the broken shaft on the left. The end button has been sawed off, to be attached to the new shaft.

Wood Soil Cylinder Metal Circle


The new shaft is at the bottom right. This was a standard 5/8" hardwood dowel that had to be turned down to approximately 1/2" on the inserted end and slightly smaller than the dowel's diameter to fit the inside of the handle. The step down is because I don't have twist or brad bits larger than 1/2". I couldn't have made this without my new Nova G3 chuck.

Wood Machine tool Gas Cylinder Composite material


Wood Cylinder Wood stain Hardwood Plywood


I drilled a deep 1/2" hole into the end of the pin, added glue and inserted the thinner end of the new shaft into the pin. A shallow hole was drilled into the end button and a short 1/4" dowel was glued in. A 1/4" holed was drilled into the new shaft to receive it.

Wood Wood stain Cylinder Metal Event


Completed pin. Handle rolls like the original.
Nice repair on a vintage project. Be sure to collect your brownie points!
 

Attachments

#494 ·
Refurbing an old Delta 40-530 Scroll Saw

The other day I finally got around to refurbing an old Delta 40-530 single-speed scroll saw I bought a few years back. It has been sitting in my dungeon workshop all that time, gathering sawdust, dungeon dust, and more than a fair share of new rust over the old. Here's what it looked like before disassembly:



There is surface rust over all of the table top and blade guide hardware. The blower hose has hardened to the point where it's no longer flexible enough to allow the upper arm to move freely. Here it is disassembled, as far as was necessary or possible without damaging components:



The chassis is one crudely machined hunk of cast iron. First I vacuumed the sawdust out, then carefully cleaned with a cloth rag and generous applications of a spray on lube. Lots of sharp and jagged edges to cut oneself:



The control arms were cleaned. This entailed removing the pivot bolts from the brass bushing, cleaning both, doing the same to the cantilever spacers the tensioning rod goes through. The control arm assembly was installed, adding a little white lithium grease to the bushings, pivot bold sleeves, and cantilever spacers:



The motor was cleaned, added to the chassis, then mated with the control arm linkage. The linkage has two sealed roller bearings that still moved well. I smeared a little lithium grease over the bearing covers. White lithium grease tends to liquefy under load. There is an excellent chance a little will seep into the bearing race upon use. I had to add two small washers to the top bearing to keep the linkage in line with the connection:



The unit assembled less blower hose and table top:




I had to buy 20 ft. of replacement hose to get this small section made. A little over $3.00: I'll find some use for it in the future.

Cleaning the rust off the cast iron top was a lot easier than anticipated. I wish to thank the 60 grit sanding disk I used, and its partner, the angle grinder. The nautilus shell pattern is original. The sheen is all mine:




I have both flat and spiral blades for this, in various teeth counts. If I can get my projects up to day in time, I might get to make some simple scroll saw Christmas gifts for the family.
 

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#495 ·
Refurbing an old Delta 40-530 Scroll Saw

The other day I finally got around to refurbing an old Delta 40-530 single-speed scroll saw I bought a few years back. It has been sitting in my dungeon workshop all that time, gathering sawdust, dungeon dust, and more than a fair share of new rust over the old. Here's what it looked like before disassembly:

Wood Tool Gas Composite material Hardwood


There is surface rust over all of the table top and blade guide hardware. The blower hose has hardened to the point where it's no longer flexible enough to allow the upper arm to move freely. Here it is disassembled, as far as was necessary or possible without damaging components:

Musical instrument Wood Gas Tool Bumper


The chassis is one crudely machined hunk of cast iron. First I vacuumed the sawdust out, then carefully cleaned with a cloth rag and generous applications of a spray on lube. Lots of sharp and jagged edges to cut oneself:

Bumper Wood Gas Machine Automotive exterior


The control arms were cleaned. This entailed removing the pivot bolts from the brass bushing, cleaning both, doing the same to the cantilever spacers the tensioning rod goes through. The control arm assembly was installed, adding a little white lithium grease to the bushings, pivot bold sleeves, and cantilever spacers:

Automotive tire Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Gas


The motor was cleaned, added to the chassis, then mated with the control arm linkage. The linkage has two sealed roller bearings that still moved well. I smeared a little lithium grease over the bearing covers. White lithium grease tends to liquefy under load. There is an excellent chance a little will seep into the bearing race upon use. I had to add two small washers to the top bearing to keep the linkage in line with the connection:

Automotive tire Camera lens Camera accessory Reflex camera Digital camera


The unit assembled less blower hose and table top:

Bumper Wood Automotive exterior Machine tool Gas

Reflex camera Camera lens Wood Mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera Gas


I had to buy 20 ft. of replacement hose to get this small section made. A little over $3.00: I'll find some use for it in the future.

Cleaning the rust off the cast iron top was a lot easier than anticipated. I wish to thank the 60 grit sanding disk I used, and its partner, the angle grinder. The nautilus shell pattern is original. The sheen is all mine:

Table Automotive tire Bumper Electronic instrument Wood

Table Wood Flooring Gas Composite material


I have both flat and spiral blades for this, in various teeth counts. If I can get my projects up to day in time, I might get to make some simple scroll saw Christmas gifts for the family.
Scroll saws can be an addiction! I have used one for 60+ years.

Nice save, that is a decent saw.

Use paste-wax on the table fairly often. Prevents new rust and makes work turn easier. here is a website to a friend of mine that is a very good place to get blades, accessories and even help with any related questions. http://www.pozsgaidesigns.com/index.htm

A few other tips, use a clear tape over the wood and draw your pattern on it. Also I use old candle stubs to wax the blade often in hard wood or thick cutting. Try it then see if it works for you. (It was listed as an advice thing on my first saw in the book in 1953!

Scrollsaw site that I am part of too. http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/

Also get a light and a chair/stool-or what works for you to be comfortable cutting.

I also stack cut with a thinner piece of masonite/plastic etc. sandwiched in between two or more pieces-to make a template if I intend to make more than one of the item.

Hope this helps and enjoy the "new" toy!
 

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#502 ·
Moving the Furniture...Again, or: Down to One Table Saw and Making it Count

Had an interesting day in the dungeon workshop. You may recall that I have two table saws. I went into the shop this morning with the intention of making a cross-cut sled for the Skilsaw contractor saw, only to find that the miter slots weren't parallel to each other. Saw is now only good for carpentry, like ripping boards outdoor. Argh. So I pulled the saw off the shop made base. Parked it on top of the freezer. Disassembled the base for the Torx head deck screws, caster wheels and four adjusters.

Now that I am down to the Hitachi, I have to resolve the blade not being parallel to the slots problem. So I moved all the lumber on the bottom shelf of the main work table to everywhere else, making multiple messes throughout the shop. Once empty, I shimmied the heavy table a few feet from the backside of the Hitachi table saw to get at the panel. After removing the panel, I vacuumed out the stockpiled dust inside.

Wood Bumper Gas Automotive exterior Machine


To adjust the trunnions once and for all, I decided to build a make-shift tool to accurately measure the distance from the blade to the slots at any point on the top. Once made, I spent about 20 minutes looking for the socketed hex key that fits the trunnion bolts. Found in a tool box in plain view that I have forgotten about. Argh. Three of the bolts were loosened, a tap here and a tap there, and I got the blade within a quarter of a millimeter from dead on. Cool.

Wood Drill Tool Gas Bumper


Someone has to clean up the mess I made. Yeah, I know.
 

Attachments

#503 ·
Moving the Furniture...Again, or: Down to One Table Saw and Making it Count

Had an interesting day in the dungeon workshop. You may recall that I have two table saws. I went into the shop this morning with the intention of making a cross-cut sled for the Skilsaw contractor saw, only to find that the miter slots weren't parallel to each other. Saw is now only good for carpentry, like ripping boards outdoor. Argh. So I pulled the saw off the shop made base. Parked it on top of the freezer. Disassembled the base for the Torx head deck screws, caster wheels and four adjusters.

Now that I am down to the Hitachi, I have to resolve the blade not being parallel to the slots problem. So I moved all the lumber on the bottom shelf of the main work table to everywhere else, making multiple messes throughout the shop. Once empty, I shimmied the heavy table a few feet from the backside of the Hitachi table saw to get at the panel. After removing the panel, I vacuumed out the stockpiled dust inside.

Wood Bumper Gas Automotive exterior Machine


To adjust the trunnions once and for all, I decided to build a make-shift tool to accurately measure the distance from the blade to the slots at any point on the top. Once made, I spent about 20 minutes looking for the socketed hex key that fits the trunnion bolts. Found in a tool box in plain view that I have forgotten about. Argh. Three of the bolts were loosened, a tap here and a tap there, and I got the blade within a quarter of a millimeter from dead on. Cool.

Wood Drill Tool Gas Bumper


Someone has to clean up the mess I made. Yeah, I know.
 

Attachments

#505 ·
Breathing is Optional on a Good Day in the Dungeon

Note to self: "Wear the mask! Wear the mask! Wear the mask!"

Yes, a blatant rip-off of the scene in the movie Armageddon, when the amateur stargazer screams at his wife Betty to "Get the book! Get the book! Get the book!"

I spent quite a few hours in the dungeon workshop yesterday without a mask on. I went to bed with a dry, rasped throat and woke up with the same, plus sinus congestion and a mild headache from the pressure. Popping some meds and wearing a mask today.

Outside of the aforementioned laziness and stupidity, yesterday was a great day in the dungeon. Having finally got the trunnions to work with me on the table saw, I now have blade, miter slots and fence working together nicely. Some practice cuts were so smooth and precise I might have giggled with glee a time or two.

Wood Floor Flooring Engineering Art


Before that, I decided to put some distance between the saw and main work bench. It was the best organizational decision I've made to date. Not only can I work all four sides of the bench, something I couldn't do and complained about before, I can not slip a cart on wheels into the space, sporting my thickness planer with it's entrance and exit leaves just clearing the tops of the saw and bench. I'll be able to plane longer boards than ever before with ample support. Long rips will be easier, too, as one or both of my roller stands makes the outfeed act like it was self-propelled.

Table Wood Flooring Engineering Machine


No less important is the feeling of spaciousness in the central work space. Lesser can be bigger.

Other things accomplished…

I turned a replacement handle for the Hitachi. Several months ago the poorly designed rubber handle tore from the mounting bolt on the blade height adjustment wheel. The angle adjustment isn't used nearly as often, so I swapped handles.

Automotive tire Wood Machine tool Gas Motor vehicle


I found another good use for an empty IKEA bag: scroll saw cover. After all the work I put into refurbing it, no way was I going to let it get dungeonized any time soon.

Textile Wood Shelf Chair Rectangle
 

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#506 ·
Breathing is Optional on a Good Day in the Dungeon

Note to self: "Wear the mask! Wear the mask! Wear the mask!"

Yes, a blatant rip-off of the scene in the movie Armageddon, when the amateur stargazer screams at his wife Betty to "Get the book! Get the book! Get the book!"

I spent quite a few hours in the dungeon workshop yesterday without a mask on. I went to bed with a dry, rasped throat and woke up with the same, plus sinus congestion and a mild headache from the pressure. Popping some meds and wearing a mask today.

Outside of the aforementioned laziness and stupidity, yesterday was a great day in the dungeon. Having finally got the trunnions to work with me on the table saw, I now have blade, miter slots and fence working together nicely. Some practice cuts were so smooth and precise I might have giggled with glee a time or two.

Wood Floor Flooring Engineering Art


Before that, I decided to put some distance between the saw and main work bench. It was the best organizational decision I've made to date. Not only can I work all four sides of the bench, something I couldn't do and complained about before, I can not slip a cart on wheels into the space, sporting my thickness planer with it's entrance and exit leaves just clearing the tops of the saw and bench. I'll be able to plane longer boards than ever before with ample support. Long rips will be easier, too, as one or both of my roller stands makes the outfeed act like it was self-propelled.

Table Wood Flooring Engineering Machine


No less important is the feeling of spaciousness in the central work space. Lesser can be bigger.

Other things accomplished…

I turned a replacement handle for the Hitachi. Several months ago the poorly designed rubber handle tore from the mounting bolt on the blade height adjustment wheel. The angle adjustment isn't used nearly as often, so I swapped handles.

Automotive tire Wood Machine tool Gas Motor vehicle


I found another good use for an empty IKEA bag: scroll saw cover. After all the work I put into refurbing it, no way was I going to let it get dungeonized any time soon.

Textile Wood Shelf Chair Rectangle
 

Attachments

#514 ·
Thickness Planer Cart Build

In at least one of my previous posts you will find the DeWALT 734 thickness planer sitting atop a smaller bench in the background. This was a major step up (no pun intended!) from the floor dolly it was sitting on. But it had two drawbacks that I couldn't accent any longer. The first is I had to turn it at angle in relation to the bench top every time I wanted to use it, so the outfeed wouldn't hit the band saw. The bench's proximity to other benches and equipment limited the length of boards I could feed through it. The second problem was that it was taking up valuable Real Estate for what little time is spent running it. Yesterday I started a shop build that would resolve this problem.

Before starting on this build, I first disassembled the old dolly, reclaiming the Torx-head deck screws, a handle and two of the four casters. Two more casters were purchased at the big box store. Otherwise, this build was all materials owned, recycled or repurposed.

The cart had to fit between the table saw and main work bench and the old Formica laminated top I got from Dad was the perfect size. I turned it upside down on the main bench and buidl the cart from the top down.

Here is the first major assembly point:

Table Wood Stool Gas Wood stain


I wanted ballast at the bottom to stabilize the 80 lb. planer, so I added two braces to the bottom frame and topped it with 1/2-in. plywood. A handle was placed at each end. A cross brace was added to each end for an additional shelf:

Table Wood Outdoor table Coffee table Chair


Before going any further, I checked to see if the cart would maneuver around the table saw and benches and fit in the space designated for it:

Wood Flooring Gas Machine Table


I found three 3/4-in. pine boards to make the top shelf from. My Sears Craftsman automotive sockets and box wrench set chest is heavy enough to act as ballast. I finally have a place to put it. It was always in the way:

Wood Machine tool Gas Engineering Office equipment


I used the thickness planer to get three boards to the same thickness: about 5/8-in.:

Table Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Machine


I then jointed the boards on the table saw to ready for glue-up:

Table Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood


Using the heavy tool chest as passive ballast in the glue-up:

Wood Floor Hardwood Gas Flooring


Dried glue was scraped off the seams of the top shelf and the ends were squared with a hand saw. I mounted it and we were done:

Table Wood Gas Thickness planer Machine


Being mobile, I can roll this to wherever I want, which when not in use wherever else I am not. Most of my shop construction has revolved around permanence. This is the first roving cart. It may not be the last.
 

Attachments

#515 ·
Thickness Planer Cart Build

In at least one of my previous posts you will find the DeWALT 734 thickness planer sitting atop a smaller bench in the background. This was a major step up (no pun intended!) from the floor dolly it was sitting on. But it had two drawbacks that I couldn't accent any longer. The first is I had to turn it at angle in relation to the bench top every time I wanted to use it, so the outfeed wouldn't hit the band saw. The bench's proximity to other benches and equipment limited the length of boards I could feed through it. The second problem was that it was taking up valuable Real Estate for what little time is spent running it. Yesterday I started a shop build that would resolve this problem.

Before starting on this build, I first disassembled the old dolly, reclaiming the Torx-head deck screws, a handle and two of the four casters. Two more casters were purchased at the big box store. Otherwise, this build was all materials owned, recycled or repurposed.

The cart had to fit between the table saw and main work bench and the old Formica laminated top I got from Dad was the perfect size. I turned it upside down on the main bench and buidl the cart from the top down.

Here is the first major assembly point:

Table Wood Stool Gas Wood stain


I wanted ballast at the bottom to stabilize the 80 lb. planer, so I added two braces to the bottom frame and topped it with 1/2-in. plywood. A handle was placed at each end. A cross brace was added to each end for an additional shelf:

Table Wood Outdoor table Coffee table Chair


Before going any further, I checked to see if the cart would maneuver around the table saw and benches and fit in the space designated for it:

Wood Flooring Gas Machine Table


I found three 3/4-in. pine boards to make the top shelf from. My Sears Craftsman automotive sockets and box wrench set chest is heavy enough to act as ballast. I finally have a place to put it. It was always in the way:

Wood Machine tool Gas Engineering Office equipment


I used the thickness planer to get three boards to the same thickness: about 5/8-in.:

Table Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Machine


I then jointed the boards on the table saw to ready for glue-up:

Table Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood


Using the heavy tool chest as passive ballast in the glue-up:

Wood Floor Hardwood Gas Flooring


Dried glue was scraped off the seams of the top shelf and the ends were squared with a hand saw. I mounted it and we were done:

Table Wood Gas Thickness planer Machine


Being mobile, I can roll this to wherever I want, which when not in use wherever else I am not. Most of my shop construction has revolved around permanence. This is the first roving cart. It may not be the last.
Nicely done Paul. Every inch of shop space is valuable and it looks as though you are making the best of it.
 

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#520 ·
Current Project: Heavy Duty Plant Stand

Wood Rectangle Gas Hardwood Flooring


This will be a gift to the wife, as she has been asking for some time that I make a low-level floor stand for her large plants. As I have been building this I've come to the conclusion I would like to make more of these, in various wood species, designs and heights to sell starting next year. I don't know that I would reproduce this one design again. This was 'ad hoc' based on what scrap reclaimed 2Ă—4s I had in the shop. Not that using this material would be bad. I could torch the wood for grain effect, paint (one color or in the current popular distressed look finish), stain, even add inlays to the top and base. So regardless of how this build turns out, there will be more plant stands, stools, etc., to follow.

The top is a little over 2" thick. Skirts are about an inch thick, the legs about two. Tapers are done with a hand plane (shown). I used a Stanley No. 6 and No. 4 to level and smooth one side of the top, then flipped and ran it through a thickness planer. All other components were cut to shape with the table saw.

The picture shows the pieces laid out next to each other. Assembly will be with glue and dowels for the base. Table top (figure eight) washers will be used to affix the top to the base. There will mostly likely be further changes made to this project before assembly begins. If I can figure out how to guarantee centered holes in the leg ends, I may drill them out for furniture casters, which is what the wife wants. We'll see what I can jig up. Also, I am undecided on the finish.
 

Attachments

#521 ·
Current Project: Heavy Duty Plant Stand

Wood Rectangle Gas Hardwood Flooring


This will be a gift to the wife, as she has been asking for some time that I make a low-level floor stand for her large plants. As I have been building this I've come to the conclusion I would like to make more of these, in various wood species, designs and heights to sell starting next year. I don't know that I would reproduce this one design again. This was 'ad hoc' based on what scrap reclaimed 2Ă—4s I had in the shop. Not that using this material would be bad. I could torch the wood for grain effect, paint (one color or in the current popular distressed look finish), stain, even add inlays to the top and base. So regardless of how this build turns out, there will be more plant stands, stools, etc., to follow.

The top is a little over 2" thick. Skirts are about an inch thick, the legs about two. Tapers are done with a hand plane (shown). I used a Stanley No. 6 and No. 4 to level and smooth one side of the top, then flipped and ran it through a thickness planer. All other components were cut to shape with the table saw.

The picture shows the pieces laid out next to each other. Assembly will be with glue and dowels for the base. Table top (figure eight) washers will be used to affix the top to the base. There will mostly likely be further changes made to this project before assembly begins. If I can figure out how to guarantee centered holes in the leg ends, I may drill them out for furniture casters, which is what the wife wants. We'll see what I can jig up. Also, I am undecided on the finish.
Looks sturdy enough for any size plant she wants to sit on it. Nicely done Paul.
 

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#529 ·
Temporarily Out of Commission!

Comfort Knee Thigh Foot Human leg


Just when I was gearing up to start up production for this quarter and next year, I go and do a really stupid thing. A few days ago I was in the bed of a Ford F-250 pickup, helping to get a 6' x 8' cap onto the box. I was so focused on the work I neglected to let the common sense alarm ring, so it would warm me of impending stupidness. I went to jump down onto the ground, but instead of climbing over the tall box side, I jumped off the top of it. Probably a good five feet above ground when I leaped, rubber bottom mukluks without padding, 30+ pounds over weight and pretty out of shape, to boot. The result is a shattered right heel bone.

Friday or Monday following I hope to be in surgery. A stainless steel plate will be mounted to the outside of the heel and all the pieces will be screwed to it to make sure they heal in their proper place.

If I am lucky, maybe I will be able to work in the shop by Christmas time.

Add to this the five months I lost in the first half of this year due to a pinched nerve and degenerate discs in the neck, and one can't help but think someone is trying to send me a message. Doesn't matter. I never read memos. :p
 

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#530 ·
Temporarily Out of Commission!

Comfort Knee Thigh Foot Human leg


Just when I was gearing up to start up production for this quarter and next year, I go and do a really stupid thing. A few days ago I was in the bed of a Ford F-250 pickup, helping to get a 6' x 8' cap onto the box. I was so focused on the work I neglected to let the common sense alarm ring, so it would warm me of impending stupidness. I went to jump down onto the ground, but instead of climbing over the tall box side, I jumped off the top of it. Probably a good five feet above ground when I leaped, rubber bottom mukluks without padding, 30+ pounds over weight and pretty out of shape, to boot. The result is a shattered right heel bone.

Friday or Monday following I hope to be in surgery. A stainless steel plate will be mounted to the outside of the heel and all the pieces will be screwed to it to make sure they heal in their proper place.

If I am lucky, maybe I will be able to work in the shop by Christmas time.

Add to this the five months I lost in the first half of this year due to a pinched nerve and degenerate discs in the neck, and one can't help but think someone is trying to send me a message. Doesn't matter. I never read memos. :p
Assume they are able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
 

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#544 ·
Getting Back On The (Saw)Horse

October of 2017, while helping a couple mount a truck cap I was getting rid of onto the box of their Ford F-250, I decided toward the end that I could fly. Well, more like thought I was Bruce Lee. I remember still, within a second after jumping off the side of the box, that the ground was coming toward me way too fast and that I was going to hit the ground way harder than I anticipated. This wasn't the first time Gravity and I didn't see eye-to-eye. This time, payback was a bitch. Apparently, I landed with most of my weight on the right foot, the heel to be precise, resulting in its shattering. Later that week a surgeon, a very good one at that, took what pieces were good, added some cadaver bone to fill in, bound them all together with a custom stainless steel plate and ten screws. While the medical team that worked on me and supported my recovery constantly reminded me of my extraordinary recovery progress, what was leaked out in greater truth over those months was the long-term result of my mistake.

It's been about a year since that very stupid jump. As predicted by the medical staff, arthritis has set in, I will always have limited motion and have to deal with intermittent pain due to the damage done to cartilage in the planar sinus cavity. I'm advised not to even attempt to run, don't walk for exercise, as eventually I will wear out the ankle. I have to take rest breaks often to keep from overworking the foot and ankle. Pain has become an intimate lifemate.

And I'm good. Yep. Life-changing is just that. Perspective. Goals. Attitude. All that changes when you finally get it through your thick ego that you're no longer 100%; you can't do stupid things as you did before, and expect to dust yourself off and do it again. Now retired, the rest of my years are about finding purpose and fulfillment in my eyes, not in others. I now build for myself, my family, my friends. Not a bad way to live.

In the posts to follow I'll give a quick look at what I made over the summer.
 
#551 ·
Have the way notifications work here changed?

Coming back from my hiatus away from here, I have noticed that I am not receiving notifications of comments on my previously made posts. I'll try and address what I find as I go. Thanks.
 
#552 ·
Prototyping a Christmas Gift

Tap Plumbing fixture Sink Countertop Wood


When the project I am working on is relatively small and the plans or concept thought up has never been tried before, I like to make the first build a prototype. There are several good reasons for taking the extra time and materials. In the case of the promised food and water bowl holders for my youngest daughter's two dogs, making up a prototype has given up valuable 'intel'. Plus, she lives at the other end of the state, so with Thanksgiving Day coming up and a meet up at her older sister's place, it makes sense to have a mock-up.

The original plans call for a bowl size smaller than either of the two size bowls I bought for this project. I was able to get the smaller size ones to work with the default plans dimensions, but only after doing some carving on the inside of the top side edges-the top will need to be extended two more inches.

I omitted the center styles in this build due to the plans instruction to glue them in place. If the styles are requested I will add them to the front and back panels once the pocket holes are drilled. Then I can drill and use screws from the inside to hold the styles in place. Her dogs are rough on whatever gets near their mouths. I don't want to leave it to glue and screws will allow them to be replaced if damaged.

The design is basic enough to allow for modifications to accommodate the shoulder height of her dogs-another good reason for making a prototype-as well as adding a front door and bottom for food storage.

Prototyping allows me to use rough or substandard materials I have on hand. I'm a waste-not-want-not maker. The legs were from 2"x4" stud cut-offs and 5/8" vinyl-laminated particle board, what was left of a cheap shelving unit we bought over 20 years ago and disassembled this past summer. These materials are getting a second chance at usefulness before heading into someone's wood burning furnace (legs) or the landfill (particle board). When the dimensions and looks are decided upon, the construction will be entirely of white oak.
 

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#553 ·
Progress: Raised Dog Bowl Holders

Table Cabinetry Countertop Wood Kitchen


I promised my youngest daughter for Christmas raised dog bowl holders for her two dogs. These are based on plans from Build Something. I posted in an earlier blog entry the prototype I built using vinyl-laminated chipboard and pine studs for the legs. You can see it in the picture, in front of the unfinished units. You may notice the two new units are longer and wider (an inch both ways) than the prototype, which was designed for a smaller bowl than I am going to use.

Originally, I was going to use reclaimed oak throughout, but instead went with 3/4" oak veneer plywood for the front, sides, and top. One half sheet makes two dog bowl holders and leaves a little bit of usable waste. White and red oak is used for the trim and legs.

Two 7-5/8" holes need to be cut out of each top piece for the bowls. I also need to rip thin oak strips to add as a boarder to the plywood top. Pocket hole joinery makes this a quick build, but would cause wood movement issues if I had gone with solid wood, hense the switch to plywood.

My daughter wants them finished in a dark stain. I will probably go with Kona or Espresso, then poly for the topcoat. The joinery simplifies finishing, by sanding and finishing the bases and tops separately, before assembling. A good thing, because Christmas is fast approaching, and we all know finishes take forever to dry when we are in a hurry.

I'm sure she'll be happy with them. Laszlo and Louis…well, they are always happy when I am around, so it doesn't matter what they think.
 

Attachments

#554 ·
Progress: Raised Dog Bowl Holders

Table Cabinetry Countertop Wood Kitchen


I promised my youngest daughter for Christmas raised dog bowl holders for her two dogs. These are based on plans from Build Something. I posted in an earlier blog entry the prototype I built using vinyl-laminated chipboard and pine studs for the legs. You can see it in the picture, in front of the unfinished units. You may notice the two new units are longer and wider (an inch both ways) than the prototype, which was designed for a smaller bowl than I am going to use.

Originally, I was going to use reclaimed oak throughout, but instead went with 3/4" oak veneer plywood for the front, sides, and top. One half sheet makes two dog bowl holders and leaves a little bit of usable waste. White and red oak is used for the trim and legs.

Two 7-5/8" holes need to be cut out of each top piece for the bowls. I also need to rip thin oak strips to add as a boarder to the plywood top. Pocket hole joinery makes this a quick build, but would cause wood movement issues if I had gone with solid wood, hense the switch to plywood.

My daughter wants them finished in a dark stain. I will probably go with Kona or Espresso, then poly for the topcoat. The joinery simplifies finishing, by sanding and finishing the bases and tops separately, before assembling. A good thing, because Christmas is fast approaching, and we all know finishes take forever to dry when we are in a hurry.

I'm sure she'll be happy with them. Laszlo and Louis…well, they are always happy when I am around, so it doesn't matter what they think.
Nicely done Paul. The pups will enjoy them for sure.
 

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#556 ·
Progress: Raised Dog Bowl Holders & Minecraft CircleGuideKit Review

Yesterday I decided to pick up a commercial circle cutting jig over making one for the full size router. The one I built a few years ago to work with a trim router would have had to be modified for this build, and the trim router would have been woefully under-powered for a 3/4" depth cut through hardwood plywood. I'm glad I did. The results and ease of use (once I figured out which router's base would best fit the universal plate in the kit) justified the cost, in my opinion. So as well as an update on the the project, consider this a product review, too.

The Milescraft CircleGuideKit (Model # 1219) comes with all you see here, for about $40.00 at our local Lowe's:

Product Automotive lighting Material property Font Auto part


In the beginning, I had mistakingly interpreted the black plastic spacer for a 1/2' shank insert. The only plunge router I have that takes 1/2" shank bits is the Ryobi mounted in the table. After taking the table base plate off I found out the universal mounting router base provided in the kit would mount two holes on a less than desirable configuration and I would have to make a trip to the store for new bolts. Then I took a close look at the router bit provided and sighed in relief. The router bit has a 1/4" shank, not a 1/2", and the plastic piece I has mistaken for the size of the bit shaft was mounted the other way, used for centering the universal plate on the router base. My BlueHawk plunge router exclusively uses 1/4" shank bits, and it turned out nicely that the universal base plate made a three-bolt contact with the router's base.

Because I wanted the hole, not the circle, and didn't want the circle-mounted jig to drive the bit into the edge of the hole made, both the circle waste was screwed to the sacrificial base board and the project board was confined by a snug border. This worked out really well.

Wood Table Floor Flooring Hardwood


One fine threaded 1/2" screw affixes the jig to the wood to be cut and provides the pivot for it to spin around on. I thought this would be the 'Achilles's heel'. The pivot was solid. The jig never strayed as I spun it around.

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The guide's measuring gauge is divided into metric on one side and inches on the other. Markings are given for "O" and "I", outer and inner diameters (not radii), respectively. Once the setting is made, you cinch down the setting. On mine, the self-adhesive measure had been applied about 1/16" off. I'm glad I ran my test on the other side of the sacrificial backer board first. All I had to do thereafter was alter my setting accordingly.

Ruler Table tennis racket Wood Tableware Rectangle


Before mounting the router to the jig, I had set the depth stop to cut a depth that was deep enough to clear the thickness of the top and bite slightly into the sacrificial OSB base. Because I had to use the router's base as well as the jig's, and with the extra thickness of the jig, the only way to achieve the depth I needed was to insert the minimum amount of bit shaft that could be safely held by the chuck. I plan on purchasing a longer bit soon.

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This picture doesn't give the semblance of a roughly 7/8" cut. I was impressed with what I felt was a minimal, acceptable amount of splintering of the red oak veneer. Well done.

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The first top cut. Spacing of the holes was perfect.

Wood Hardwood Gas Flooring Plywood

Table Furniture Countertop Desk Kitchen


Tomorrow I mill some more oak stock and rip to make edge banding. Once applied and dry, some detail work needs to be done (easing edges through sanding and chamfers) and final sanding. I'm planning on applying the finish Sunday.
 

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#557 ·
Best Edge Banding Around!

Before heading out to the Big Box Store, I checked to see if they had the 3/4" wide red oak edge banding I needed to finish the daughter's two dog bowl holders. Look what I found:

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Yep. You read the description right: 3/4" thick, 6" wide, 25' long.

Heh. Here we wrap our oak planks into rolls. ;)
 

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#558 ·
Best Edge Banding Around!

Before heading out to the Big Box Store, I checked to see if they had the 3/4" wide red oak edge banding I needed to finish the daughter's two dog bowl holders. Look what I found:

Tire Wheel Automotive tire Product Tread


Yep. You read the description right: 3/4" thick, 6" wide, 25' long.

Heh. Here we wrap our oak planks into rolls. ;)
Good stuff I have used it myself.
 

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#562 ·
Child's Tool Box & Tea Light Sets

Table Wood Wood stain Flooring Hardwood


Finally making some progress on the gift building. The neighbor's two year old is into tools, so I made for him a child's size carpenter's tool box. The sides and bottom are red oak, the ends hard maple, and the handle and pins out of poplar dowels.

The tea light sets are going out to friends and family. The pines bases were cut from the staves of a large cable spool. While the holders will accept tea light candles, for safety sake I am using their LED counterpart.

Next: staining the two dog bowl holders…
 

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#563 ·
Child's Tool Box & Tea Light Sets

Table Wood Wood stain Flooring Hardwood


Finally making some progress on the gift building. The neighbor's two year old is into tools, so I made for him a child's size carpenter's tool box. The sides and bottom are red oak, the ends hard maple, and the handle and pins out of poplar dowels.

The tea light sets are going out to friends and family. The pines bases were cut from the staves of a large cable spool. While the holders will accept tea light candles, for safety sake I am using their LED counterpart.

Next: staining the two dog bowl holders…
Very nice gifts Paul. I am glad you are making sawdust again.
 

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#569 ·
Progress: Raised Dog Bowl Holders - The Field Test

Dog Dog breed Carnivore Wood Working animal


Laszlo and Louis are enjoying their new raised dog bowl holders, courtesy of yours truly. Louis (on the right) is food territorial, but offers no problems when served a welcomed drink along side his smaller buddy. I was glad to see that Laszlo found the stand to be at a comfortable height for his shorter stature. Both dogs are still pups, by the way.

I'm also glad to see the water beads on the gloss poly finish. Should be easy food clean-up, too.
 

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#570 ·
Progress: Raised Dog Bowl Holders - The Field Test

Dog Dog breed Carnivore Wood Working animal


Laszlo and Louis are enjoying their new raised dog bowl holders, courtesy of yours truly. Louis (on the right) is food territorial, but offers no problems when served a welcomed drink along side his smaller buddy. I was glad to see that Laszlo found the stand to be at a comfortable height for his shorter stature. Both dogs are still pups, by the way.

I'm also glad to see the water beads on the gloss poly finish. Should be easy food clean-up, too.
Looks pup-approved!
 

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