Does this service exist: I'm looking to hire somebody to come to my garage and set up my Rigid r4512 properly. I'm in the Columbus, OH area.
I just started woodworking at the beginning of this summer, have been trying my best with the hobby, and I feel like I've set up my equipment wrong. I spent 6 hours setting up the tablesaw. Since then, I've added Jay Bates' router lift & table into the extension wing. The router table is pulling the table down so it's no longer flush with the table. I'm trying to do it all alone and I'm just stabbing at it, watching YouTube set up video after YouTube setup video, making minor adjustments which aren't helping. I'm worried that the more I mess with it, I'm just going to strip screws and ruin threads.
I know my skills will take time to develop. I'm frustrated that I feel like I'm hamstringing myself with misconfigured tools. I've slaved for about 20 hours on a keepsake box (http://fixthisbuildthat.com/make-a-simple-diy-jewelry-box-plans/) out of Maple and Walnut. This is my 2nd attempt. While I see improvements over my first box, I still think it's terrible looking. And then I see spectacular projects like http://lumberjocks.com/projects/263714 and I'm dejected that my tools suck and I suck. My walnut and maple box: . I haven't finished it yet, obviously. I put tape on it so I'd remember orientation of the pieces. I don't like the speckles on the top, the front face has that weird color change, the miters splines are short, and the cut dividing the top/bottom isn't crisp.
Sorry for the sad rant. I just want some help to make sure my equipment is properly aligned, giving me the best possible chance to produce items that are somewhat as good as my imagination when I embark on the project.
Any suggestions?
EDIT: Thanks for all the positive feedback. I'm going to take y'all's advice to take the router off the table and start over to adjust it. I hadn't thought about how much of a learning experience it could be for me to learn about the table saw rather than just get it fixed. And I can practice new skills by building a separate router stand! Rick - I'm most definitely a novice. I'm number one to blame for end product quality.
That said, here are the boxes (sanded to 320 before being glued) with a couple coats of Danish Oil on them. I love how smooth they are. They're resting for a few days before getting spray lacquer. Maple with either Walnut Purpleheart.
EDIT 2: Thanks again for the feedback. I pulled off the router table and was able to quickly square up the table & fence. I ripped a 3' piece of 3/4 plywood against the fence with the stock full kerf blade and the variation of width was less than .01". I'm building a new cross cut sled, based on Nick Ferry's design, taking my time on all the cuts and measuring precisely.
I just started woodworking at the beginning of this summer, have been trying my best with the hobby, and I feel like I've set up my equipment wrong. I spent 6 hours setting up the tablesaw. Since then, I've added Jay Bates' router lift & table into the extension wing. The router table is pulling the table down so it's no longer flush with the table. I'm trying to do it all alone and I'm just stabbing at it, watching YouTube set up video after YouTube setup video, making minor adjustments which aren't helping. I'm worried that the more I mess with it, I'm just going to strip screws and ruin threads.
I know my skills will take time to develop. I'm frustrated that I feel like I'm hamstringing myself with misconfigured tools. I've slaved for about 20 hours on a keepsake box (http://fixthisbuildthat.com/make-a-simple-diy-jewelry-box-plans/) out of Maple and Walnut. This is my 2nd attempt. While I see improvements over my first box, I still think it's terrible looking. And then I see spectacular projects like http://lumberjocks.com/projects/263714 and I'm dejected that my tools suck and I suck. My walnut and maple box: . I haven't finished it yet, obviously. I put tape on it so I'd remember orientation of the pieces. I don't like the speckles on the top, the front face has that weird color change, the miters splines are short, and the cut dividing the top/bottom isn't crisp.
Sorry for the sad rant. I just want some help to make sure my equipment is properly aligned, giving me the best possible chance to produce items that are somewhat as good as my imagination when I embark on the project.
Any suggestions?
EDIT: Thanks for all the positive feedback. I'm going to take y'all's advice to take the router off the table and start over to adjust it. I hadn't thought about how much of a learning experience it could be for me to learn about the table saw rather than just get it fixed. And I can practice new skills by building a separate router stand! Rick - I'm most definitely a novice. I'm number one to blame for end product quality.
That said, here are the boxes (sanded to 320 before being glued) with a couple coats of Danish Oil on them. I love how smooth they are. They're resting for a few days before getting spray lacquer. Maple with either Walnut Purpleheart.
EDIT 2: Thanks again for the feedback. I pulled off the router table and was able to quickly square up the table & fence. I ripped a 3' piece of 3/4 plywood against the fence with the stock full kerf blade and the variation of width was less than .01". I'm building a new cross cut sled, based on Nick Ferry's design, taking my time on all the cuts and measuring precisely.