Wood Mangler

Oak Burl Slim

2012-01-30T11:02:00.001-08:00

Oak burl - CA finish.

Curly Maple - CA finish.

Bracelets

2012-01-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

Some more. All these were finished with a shellac friction polish, then buffed with white diamond on 11" linen wheel about three days later.

Inside diameter is 2 3/8 inches
Outside diameter is 3 1/4 inches
Thickness range from 3/4 to 7/8 inches

Maple.

Claro Walnut:

Yellowheart:

Claro Walnut:

Cherry:

Acrylic Pens

2011-12-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

I hate turning this stuff... but boy they sure do look pretty!!

Blue Acrylic Cross Style Pen. Polished 12000 MM SOLD

Pink Acrylic Cross Style Pen. Polished 12000 MM SOLD

Craft Show

2011-12-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

Just a small craft show. I did OK. Sold a bowl, a few pens and an handful of stoppers.

Have another on this Wednesday

5 Failures

2011-11-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

5. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.

It happens. We all make mistakes at in the shop. I've had tough days where nothing seemed to go right. Sunday was one of them. 5 failures in a row. I was turning bracelets for an upcoming craft fair. I'm a little low on stock and very low on time. In fact I only have a week left to finish a whole bunch of stuff.

All you can do is shrug it off and not worry about it.

Or what I did. Take all the pieces inside and burn them in the fireplace laughing like a an evil supervilian. That works too...

Keep It Simple

2011-11-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

This last month I had a set of wire rim glasses in the breast pocket of my lab coat. It was a prop for a Halloween costume and the lens, which were a strong prescription that made my head ache, were removed. This slice of my life constitutes the entire breadth of my eyeglasses experience. A pretty small sum of experience to say the least.

If I were to buy a set of prescription glasses it would need to be an easy process that I could manage at my own leisure and do so for a cost that was reasonable. I've heard it told that a single pair of prescription lens set in a stylish frame can cost $300 and up. Can people afford to have a second pair of glasses at that price? I imagine losing your glasses could put you in a steep financial crisis.

Zenni Optical would be my choice. They don't offer name brand glasses. They make their own. As such there is no middle man, no extra cost margins figured in. You by directly from the manufacturer. Them.

As an online reseller, they also don't have to pay for a lease on a store front or other conventional office costs. You put in some information regarding your prescription and get a pair of glasses in about 2 weeks made especially for you.

The cost? $8 and up. Seems like a clear choice to me.

Go Pink!

2011-11-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

Pink Acrylic Cross style pen SOLD

Polished to 12000 MM to a mirror shine. Very cool pen.

Bangles

2011-10-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

Purple Acrylic polished to 12000 Mico Mesh. I really like the look of this one!

Jatoba (AKA Brazillian Cherry) with homemade friction polish

And a couple of Walnut bracelets also with homemade friction polish

Olive Stoppers

2011-10-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

Acquired some small olive blocks last month. Just the right size for some stoppers...

All with a CA finish

Cross Stlye Pens

2011-10-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Curly Maple with a shiny CA finish. SOLD

Maple & Yellowheart with a CA finish. SOLD

Mesquite with a shiny CA finish. SOLD

Corian (The countertop material) Polished to 12000 grit. SOLD

Purpleheart with a shiny CA finish. SOLD

Zebra Acrylic Polished to 12000 grit. SOLD

Wood Mecca

2011-10-12T09:37:00.001-07:00

I was in Santa Clara last week for training and visited this place. It was like a wood turners Mecca. They also have slabs and lumber, but I've got a local place that does that too. What I don't have is three rows of shelves stuffed with exotic turning blocks! And the prices were great.

Global Wood Source
Exotics:

Lumber & Slabs

$123 Claro Guitar slabs

Domestics: ($4 per lb Maple burl.)

I also hit up their scrap bin and scored a 2x3x12 block of Olive and a small block of zircote for $5 each. A portion of the olive has already been turned into some bottle stoppers. A very cool shop!

Ebay Works

2011-09-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Even with the shear number of folks selling woodworking items on Ebay, I still have managed to sell more pens via Ebay in the past 2 months then I ever did from a year of being in a shop. Plus I get more for each item while it cost the end user less! All this because I don't have to split my sales with a shop, or deal with the possible product loss or poor product placement.

Just when I thought Ebay was becoming irreverent, it goes and surprises me.

Cross Pens

2011-09-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

I love the colors on both of these, for different reasons.

Yellowheart SOLD is just so happy. It's odd to see such a bright yellow in nature and I have trouble not being awed by it. CA finish.

The second is a Redwood Burl. SOLD A beautiful pen, with loads of figure and a grain. CA finish.

Zappos coupon

2011-09-07T11:59:00.001-07:00

Zappos means shoes. Seriously. It is the Spanish word for footwear. That is why it is the best choice for the name of an online retailer of shoes. Makes sense right? Well, while Zappos coupon codes are great for getting excellent deals on shoes, slippers, boots or clogs it's not all Zappos is about. Not anymore.

In addition to the literally thousands of shoes that are offered from the virtual storefront Zappos coupons are also good for the many items that are now being offered. Surprisingly enough the Internet shoe sale giant has branched off to offer clothing and accessories to go along with your perfect sneaker or loafer choice. Coats, pants, hats, jewelry, watches and more. They even sell bedding, small kichen appliances and other related housewares! I had no idea they had more that just shoes.

Just for grins I went searching for some gadget related products. In my brief search I was able to find a very cool Peugeot Elis 8" Electric Salt Mill. Who would ever think of checking out an oline shoe site for your newest gadget fix? Before today, not me. Which means that while this is still the best place to get discount shoes online, is just the beginning of what they offer! Plus you can get that for less with these Zappos coupons!

So while Zappos may mean shoes, Zappos.com means so much more!

Box Making Progress

2011-09-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

I finally got my toggle clamps and digital angle gauge in the mail. The Wixey gauge eliminated all the fiddling and guess work. What a great tool!

Soo... cut another 16" chunk of maple and started again down the box making road.

Planning to 3/8

I then rebuilt my crosscut sled and tried to eliminate all the slop in it. I added my new Chinese toggle bolts and clamped a stop block at 3". Clamping before had been downright scary with a 3" side and 45 degree bevel. Not anymore.

I wrapped a couple pieces of mdf in packing tape as my cauls for the 3/8 box sides.

Result? Really nice and tight miters! (a bit of tear out, but I can fix that)

Next weekend, on to the spline cutting jig!

Vintage Gretsch Drums Restored

2011-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

The guy I sold my shells and hardware to, recently sent me pictures of his completed kit. He did an amazing job!!

There was a small pang of regret when I saw them all decked out in their new black sparkle glory but the truth is, I would never have played them. Plus he did an outstanding job, and I wasn't fairing anywhere near as well as that! He should get a ton of use out of them now, and loads of pride to boot!

Before:

And after:

close up on the snare:

Here's a link to the Photostream with more shots. Well done Gabriel!

Messy Shop

2011-08-29T13:10:00.001-07:00

I've just started following Mike Mahoney's Blog. I found this picture.

I'm no longer concerned with the mess around my lathe...

Dust Collection

2011-08-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

I finally decided to pull the trigger. I've had my dust collector for almost two years but haven't hooked it up to anything. It was just a glorified vacuum. So it was a clumsy build, but I hope to refine it as I go...

Where I started

I purchased 40 feet of 4" PVC.

I did the rough cuts with a Japanese pull saw, but cleaned up the end with my band saw.

I was short some fittings, but I wanted to complete a run with what I had on hand. Took me quite a while to get a layout I liked.

All the way down to the lathe. Again, this was an "Add, Remove, Reconfigure" process. Total time for one run and my RAS was about 4 hours.

Now I know what additional fixtures I need and how to complete the second and third runs. I've still have quite a bit PVC left...

Parker Stlye Pens

2011-08-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Buckeye Burl SOLD on Elegant Sierra with Mesa theme.

That stuff is a PAIN to turn. Very soft and unstable. I lost 3 blanks (even with my skew honed on the WS to 4000 grit) Finally nailed the fourth one. 12 or so coats of CA

Spalted Maple SOLD (has some cool green streaks) Elegant Sierra with Mesa theme. CA finish. Stuff was super soft and I ended up just soaking it in with CA Evey few days. Came out beautifully!

Walnut Burl Bowl

2011-08-14T17:08:00.000-07:00

4 inches wide 1 1/4 high. Finished with Danish Oil.

The Dainty Dozen

2011-08-08T11:26:00.001-07:00

Had to crank out a bunch of new stoppers for the shop I'm in. I love feeling you get when folks show interest in owning your workmanship. It's quite rewarding on just an emotional level!

Walnut, Zebrawood, Purpleheart, Madrone, Walnut, Walnut.

Zebrawood, Tulipwood, Walnut, Walnut, Redwood Burl, Wanut.

All CA finish, and yes. I do have a lot of Walnut!

Claro Walnut Egg

2011-08-01T14:39:00.001-07:00

There is a challenge for the fall meeting of the local IAP turners. Eggs. The original intent was to turn only with a skew. I tried. Nothing but pain and hardship! :)

Quick template

Showing off my pretty blank

Sizing up my egg

burnishing

Last shot of attempt #1. Shortly after this I got a massive catch with the skew and lost the blank

Blank #2. Skipped the skew this time and got much further

Shellac.

Sorta pointy, and the end where I parted from the headstock wasn't perfect. Next one should be a bit more refined.

Shallow Walnut Box

2011-07-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

SOLD

Productive & Filthy

2011-07-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

The table saw is properly aligned, 45* jig completed, planer knives replaced and my band saw motor has been moved to insure better performance.

Don't tell my wife about her cream bath towels...

The Burl Bowl Beat

2011-07-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Cool Chunk of claro walnut burl

Soaked in CA

Rocks and burl

More burl and a void emerge

Rough hollowing

Shearing scrape

Sanding started

Started on the bottom

The blank went for a short flight...

I'd like to claim it was an unstable bowl but that was not the case. It was a stupid mistake on my part. I was turning down the nib at the very end of the processed when I rubbed the tool edge and got a catch. the bowl came out the cole jaws hit the tool rest and flew straight up. I was then showered in burl bowl pieces. It was spectacular!

I was so upset I could barely think straight. I only found two pieces and have no idea where the other 60% of them are.

Now... I understand these things happen and I just need to chuck up another block

Sharp Idea

2011-07-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

Just saw this for the first time today...

Rules for the Workshop:

Step 1. Check to make sure your tools are sharp.
Step 2. If you are still having trouble, go back to step 1.

More Stoppers

2011-06-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

I was playing with shapes..

First was going to be a mushroom, but I found this shape instead. Looks like a building to me. Then Top hat with burned in brim, goblet and finally a mushroom to make up for #1.

Gadets and Coupons

2011-06-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

O look, another Geeky Gadget Website on the Internet. As you know I absolutely adore gadgets. On this site I specifically look for items pertaining to or originating with woodworking. Some days that will that be tools, wood or technique. Some days It might even be a display of my mediocre skills. Regardless woodworkers love gadgets.

Today I found a site featuring loads of geeky gadgets and products. Like these cool cast iron bottle openers. Cast in familiar forms of our handy workshop helpers but designed for a very different but noble function. Project refreshment. This site is loaded with other great gadgets too.

In addition to all the pages of cool gadget and gizmos they also have a how host of other things. Like great deals. When I sent my wife to Phoenix Arizona last year for her youngest cousins wedding, I certainly could have used these Expedia coupons or some Orbitz promotion codes. Travel is an expensive proposition and any thing you can do to knock off some of the cost is more than worth a few moments of your time. I would totally recommend considering that.

So there you have it. A great site loaded not only with a gaggle of geeky gadget but also bursting at the seams with copious piles of coupon codes and deal. So check it out and let me know what you think!

Staved Travel Mug

2011-06-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

I have two stainless steel travel mug kits ready to be outfited with wood. Problem? I have no blank large enough to do the job. I would like to point out at that I still don't have a travel mug. I don't want to disappoint the reader. This project was only 1/2 completed. This was not the fault of the wood, but rather the tuner. Regardless... here are the steps I followed until the failure.

I wanted a six sided turning, which equals 30 degrees per cut. It should be noted that I had to do math, which upset me greatly because I'm horrible at it and it makes my hobby less enjoyable!

Anyway, I followed math up with dangerous beveled crosscuts on the radial arm saw. That made me feel better. I used doublestick tape and NOT FINGERS to hold the Maple in place.

All cut with the grain lined up to my liking.

Ran two strips of packing tape over the cut staves.

I was out of yellow glue so I was using Gorilla glue in it's place. I really am not a fan and might attribute that to some of the issues I had later on.

Still the angles game together cleanly despite nasty foam overflowing.

Now what. How the heck do I hold the tailstock end of this thing?

I cut out a rough hexagon and circle on the band saw and fit with sandpaper the stave. glued the hexagon and circle together and used it as a jam chuck in the tailstock.

Worked great.

And this is the last shot of it together. Was using the spindle gouge when the thing just fell apart on the glue line. I tried to reassemble it but given the shape I just couldn't clamp it well enough.

Oh well. Still loads of good experience. Hopefully soon I'll get that coffee mug turned!

Tulipwood Stopper

2011-06-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

For whatever reason I really liked the way this came out last night. I can crank out a dozen stoppers and not be overly enamored with one. I just really liked the thick goblet shape and wanted to recall it for next time.

2 inches X 1 3/8 CA finish

California Walnut Bowl

2011-06-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

This is #4 for me and the first bowl I turned from dried wood. This is kiln dried California Walnut. Again the outside and bottom turned with my bowl gouge but the hollowing was all done with a 1/2 round nose scraper. I'm beginning to enjoy the advantage of scraping and I get a pretty nice surface right off the tools. Sanded to 180 and I've done 4 coats of Danish Oil. The walnut is thirsty and it will get few more coats still!

1 1/2 high 5 inches wide.

Pens: Corian & Walnut

2011-06-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

I turned two more pens last night. I'm not sure what's come over me. That's like 10 pens in the last week...

The first is from Corian. Yeah the counter top material. I love the weight and feel of these. They shine up great and have heft!

And a Walnut SOLD pen that I had trouble getting a good picture of.

Cedar Box Pt.1

2011-06-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

I was watching Doug Stowe's box making video for the 27th time when I finally decided to try my hand at a simple box.

I have some Aromatic Cedar that is already surfaced to 1/2 and thought that I would start with a simple box. Plus I wanted to test out my idea of making the miter cuts on the radial arm saw. I reasoned that it would allow me to leave the table saw blade registered to 90 for all the other operations and might save on setup time.

The operation seemed simple enough. I set my RAS to 45degrees and make a pass to give me a reference kerf in the fence and on the table. I then set a stop my desired length from that time.

Flipped the board face down to make the first bevel

flipped and registered it against my stop for the second. Wash rinse & repeat.

The last two cuts were a wee bit dangerous without a change of plan.

So I used some double stick tape in lieu of my hands.

Worked like a charm! So I took off my riot helmet & Kevlar body suit and pretended like I knew it would work the whole time!!

The grain looks great, and the miters are tight. I ran dadoes in the top and bottom of the inside and moved on to the next step.

Next I needed some stock for the base and lid. I thought with the busy look of cedar, oak would compliment it nicely. I re-sawed some 3/4 stock on the Uni and readied it for a final thickness pass on my planer.

It should be noted at this point that I've never used my planer before. I've had it for about 2 years. It's a Ryobi AP12. I need a little more time getting comfortable with the workings of this tool...

...needless to say I no longer have stock for the top and bottom of my box. Hopefully I'll remedy that soon.

A Pack Of Pens

2011-06-14T08:08:00.001-07:00

I've been on a pen turning kick lately. Not even sure why. Here are my most recent and I've already got more blanks ready for tonight!

Redwood Burl SOLD CA finish

Kingwood SOLD CA Finish

Bamboo. CA finish. I'd never turned this before and have to say, "It was soo fun!" I really enjoyed it and it turned beautifully!

Blackwood & Redheart SOLD CA finish. I've made this style about half a dozen times. It's a staple for me and very popular.

Jatoba. SOLD CA finish.

California Bay Laurel Bowl

2011-06-13T09:43:00.001-07:00

This is bowl #4 for me and the first one with NO CATCHES.

I took this as proof that I had turned it, in case my luck didn't hold and I dropped it on the way to it's oil bath.

It measures 7 3/4 wide x 2 1/2 high. Finish is simply 3 coats of danish oil.

I've got a dried chunk of walnut waiting for me this weekend...

Claro Wanut Burl Pen

2011-06-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

This is Claro Walnut burl SOLD in a Parker style pen. CA finish. This pen reeks of class.

Geek Alerts

2011-06-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

If you've spent any time here or on any of my blogs you'll know that I'm a geek who has a fascination with gadgets gizmos and other labor saving devices. Many of those loves collide with caffeine. Geeks love caffeine. Even better if that caffeine is shared with technology.

So when I heard about a site featuring a load of gadget news I had to check it out. This site has a little bit of everything. For instance they have a link to this cool and rather whimsical wooden watch with digital output. The best for the geeky woodworker!

Looking for a Tronc Business Card Stand? How about a Cloverfield Monster Electronic Action Figure? How about a set of TRAMP-It Jump Shoes which will give you that Portal player experience. And that’s just the goods I found on the first page. This site looks like a treasure trove of geeky goodness

In addition to the myriad of gadgets they also have a boatload of promos and coupons for popular geek stops off the Interweb Interstate. Looking for a money saving Apple Store coupons? If that doesn't float your boat, they check out deals for one of my all time favorite geek sites. Yep, a Newegg promo codes. Now your set. Go live it up gadget lover...

California Bay Laurel Bowl

2011-06-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Bowl turning appears to be my Achilles Heel. I cannot seem to get the hang of my bowl gouge. Regardless this is my first bowl completed bowl without any major defects. My first one warped and I wasn't able to properly finish the bottom on my second. Plus this one feels really nice in my hand.

Inside turned almost totally with my 1/2 round nose scraper.

California Bay Laurel 1 1/2 x 6 1/2 SOLD

New Pens

2011-06-05T11:15:00.001-07:00

Three new slimelines from this weekend.

Lignum Vitae & Blackwood. SOLD CA Finish

Claro Walnut Burl. CA finish SOLD

Juniper bush SOLD CA finish

Foot Massager

2011-05-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

Okay here is a super simple spindle project! It literally took me 15 minutes from roughing to finishing with taking pictures. The wife is a fan and was actually fun.

First. Picked a block of walnut. 2x2x7. Marked the ends for center

Mounted on my Rikon

Next roughed it to round

Shaping. Here I tried to minic the simple curves I'd seen on one of these in a catalog. Very easy flowing curves.

Refined and sanded. Wasn't sure about sanding after grooving. I might skip this next time.

Started the grooves on one side with a 1/4 spindle gouge. This is my one regret. I should have gone deeper and made the peaks sharper. The next one will totally be a more aggressive valley mountain look.

Still it came out pretty good. Having sharper peaks might also help with consistency. As would practice!

Friction polish. Seems almost silly seeing as it will soon stink of dirty feet...

Parting cuts and a horrible glare. Sorry!

finished piece. This was in use about 5 minutes after coming inside. Again. This project is wife approved!

EDIT: Here is attempt #3. Much more to my liking...

Notice the wife's sock fuzz...

Latest Pens

2011-05-20T18:43:00.001-07:00

Ramping up inventory for the 2011 graduation rush!

Left to right:

Acrylic, Redwood burl, Rosewood, Brazilian Cherry, Kingwood, Mesquite, Mesquite & Maple. All with a CA finish

California Laurel AKA Pepper Wood

2011-05-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

I last month I roughed out a couple of green bowl blanks from a Pepperwood log. I was wondering why it was called that...

Not anymore. The shop has had a hint of fresh ground pepper for three weeks now. I really hope it stays with the bowls. Its quite unique!

Flowers on Mother's Day

2011-05-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Who was there for you when you skinned your knee while playing in the yard? Who helped you with your schoolwork? Who made your favorite meal on your birthday? Who made you feel special just being you? Mom. It's not just about the big things but also all the little stuff that we never think about. Cooking, cleaning up, laundry and just being there for everyone. Moms make a huge impact in our lives and who we grow to be.

As such, isn't it worth it to show mom that you remember how much she means to you?

If your mom is anything like mine she loves flowers, and what better way to say,
"I'm thinking of you" than a beautiful arrangement to adorn her table. A beautiful flower bouquet is not as fleeting as a meal and will last for days. Reminding her that you appreciate everything she's done over the years.

And now you can even get a great gift for Mon at a great deal by using these
ProFlowers coupons or these ProFlowers coupon codes. Plus save on delivery of with Mother's Day Flower Delivery

Mothers Day isn't the only time to send flowers to Mom. Why not surprise her next week with a flower delivery. She'll know you care even when no one is telling you to!

6 Bottle Stoppers

2011-05-02T10:15:00.001-07:00

From Left to right: Zebrawood, Redheart, Redwood burl,Lignum Vitae, Zebrawood, Redwood burl. All with a CA finish

Block Plane Completed

2011-04-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

Completed!

So I spent about 2 hours with my new addition last Friday:

I took a LONG time to reestablish the bevel on the three 220 plane irons. Since I'm a glutton for punishment I also sharpen my 4 bench chisels and the iron on my Jack plane. All of these bevels were off severely. Now I can cut paper and the tip of my thumb (oops! and ouch!!)

Right when I finished that the mailman brought a package with height adjustment screw and frog (the parts I was missing)

So I put together a plane and test out my labor.

Thin enough?

This is fun...

It made short work of the wild grain on the walnut and after a bit of adjustment got it pulling nice thin shavings. I would call the feel equivalent to 320 grit paper. Which I have to say BLOWS MY MIND.

Anyway. I call this a success. I will totally be looking for frogs for the other two, seems a shame not to complete them after the first works so well.

Stanley Block Planes

2011-04-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

I picked up three Stanley 220 block planes on craigslist. Turns out they were missing some parts, so my stellar deal isn't so stellar but I think I still did okay. Before they are usable I have some clean up to do.

So I spent 4 hours in the garage last night cleaning up the planes and lapping the soles by hand. Really made me appreciate the bargain box of Kingspor sandpaper I got. The amount of sandpaper I consumed was staggering. Even with stopping every 10 minutes to blow out the filings with compressed air.

Okay.. pictures. This was the best looking of the three and a good place to start.

100 grit & 150 grit on either side of an old glass shelf

When I realized how long this was going to take

2 - 3 hours later( I also too the opportunity to flatten the backs of my chisels too. Something that I'd never done) I started at 100, then polished to 240 but didn't get a shot of that.

Plane iron time...

These things are awkward to hold... My kludge:

double stick turners tape

cleaned up nice

At that point my lathe started to whine for attention. She's been an only child for two years and couldn't understand how I spend 3 hours in the shop without even looking at her bench

Madrone knob (tote?) with CA finish.

That's all for now...

What a lot of fun!

Stopper Maddness

2011-04-13T14:34:00.000-07:00

I sell bottle stoppers in a shop in Healdsburg Ca. The shop is called Noble Designs. Selling bottle stoppers in the wine country is a very competitive enterprise. Every shop here has at least one type of stoppers, if not two to three. So I was quite thankful to have the opportunity.

Regardless some months are good and others are silent. I call once a month and ask, "So... need any more stoppers?"

"Sorry no sales"

That's how it's been since November and I was beginning to get discouraged. Then all of the sudden I get a call last week:

"We sold almost half of your stoppers! Come restock us!"

I suppose that's tourist season for you. Now I need to re-order all my supplies and start cranking these out again. I hope this run last for a while!

The Occult

2011-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

I sit down, and shed all reason and logic, as I open my pamphlet entitled:

"So you've decided to do away with all that filthy productivity and join the cult."

It's not a good sign but I decide to keep reading. I flip open the hand folded tract and see what more information it has to impart to my longing soul.

"You don't have to live the repressed life of your narrow minded generation. Open your mind and breath easy. You have begun your first step towards a life without the domineering overlord of 3 phase wiring or mindless repacking of your wearing motor bearings. Can you imagine a world without concerns of blade drift or constant mechanical tuning? If yes, then I bid you welcome to the cult. Please remove your jeans and t-shirt and pick up a linen smock and a tasteful pair of dark breeches."

It turns out, that my new hobby has some rather bizarre fringe members. Like any other family, the woodworking clan has a number of relatives that most people just never talk about. The hand tool nuts. Electricity? Oh yes they've seen it. It doesn't matter. They shun it. Many of them started innocently enough. Purchasing a hand plane here, a set of chisels there and soon a rip saw, crosscut saw and before you know it, WHAM. They're a full blown cult member with knickers and a period ponytail, sneering at those of us with table saws and electric sanders.

"You know... you could do that be hand?"

"Make molding? By hand?"

"Yea. You would only need a spokeshave, and simple scratch stock, and couple of hand planes. Should only take 20 minutes per 3' foot board."

"My router can do that in like...oh I don't know...4 seconds."

"But it won't be handcrafted."

"By handcrafted, do you mean tedious and aggravating?"

For every hand tool there is now a new modern equivalent that came into use with that ridiculous dark period of our history known as, The Industrial Revolution. I'm not saying I don't appreciate learning the techniques and skills of craftsman gone by, but contrariwise I have zero plans of freezing time at 1865 when my back saw could be interchanged for cutting drawer joints or amputating infected limbs. I like this era and I welcome the inviting hum of whirring motors and spinning drive belts. For me, the machines are half the fun.

To me, when looking at a set of hand cut dovetails side by side with machined cut dovetails they look identical. One took 30 minutes, and one took 3 minutes. Unless of course we are talking about my hand cut dovetails, which look more like ragged New York City pigeon tails after being run over by a an angry cab driver. So take your pick.

I suppose this could all just come down to jealously, or possibly the countless hours I've spent at my workbench trying to do anything that looks slightly passable as craftsmanship with my hand tools. Nah, that can't be it.

So I took my leaflet, crumpled it up and threw it away. Anyone want a loose fitting set of dark breeches?

Throwing In The Towel

2011-03-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

As much as I hate to do it, I have to admit that I am not enjoying this drum restore. I convinced myself that I was in it to see the drums in good shape, but I don't think that's true. Yesterday was my first day of buffing out the finish.

It just wasn't right. Some parts were perfect but it wasn't universal. I had small runs, orange peel and other imperfections that really showed after going to the buffing wheel. I took a deep breath and gave it one more try.

I pulled out the sand paper and sanded down the drum yet again bringing it back to smooth 220 grit feel. I resprayed the lacquer and within 3 minutes I'd already spotted a run. It was too much for me. I got mad and kicked my very well constructed work bench. This stopped my in my tracks as my toe felt like I broke it.

So much for cool and collected. I have no desire to fill myself with angst in the shop. That is not why I go out there. So I'm posting them up on craigslist and removing the temptation of getting mired in a restore down the road.

Zenni Optical

2011-03-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Looking back on grade school I am reminded of kids who's parents had to pay for glasses. It was an expensive proposition.

One day friend of mine named Tim was playing with us on the playground. We were engaging in some sport when we all heard a sickening crunch! Tim's glasses had fallen off and he had run right over them and shattered them. He was horrified, and then he began to cry. His parents had told him they could not afford another pair of glasses and had been very insistent on keep this pair safe from harm. I doubt his folks were too pleased at his return home that evening.

click image to follow link

And who honestly could keep replacing glasses at three hundred dollars a pair? I know I couldn't. So then, what is the alternative? You could buy a pair off the shelf I suppose but they will not match your prescription and you could end up doing more damage than good. I guess you're going to have to shell out that three hundred bucks for a pair of lenses.

Or you could get a set delivered to your door for less than the cost of a dinner out. That's right a pair of prescription eyeglasses for under $20.00 delivered. Seriously. Inexpensive From Zenni Optical! The choice is clear.

More Pens.. Oh My

2011-03-22T09:31:00.001-07:00

Left to right: Maple & Mopani, Red & White Oak, Walnut, Maple & Lignum Vitae, B&W Ebony, Lignum Vitae

Bowl Pratice

2011-03-21T12:10:00.001-07:00

Gluing up pieces to make bowls. Still trying to get my technique down before shelling out money for large bowl blanks...

Still having a hard time getting a good cut on my bowl gouge. Boy, this is a lot harder than I thought!

Pen Post

2011-03-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pens...

From left to right:
Maple & Blackwood, Marblewood, Walnut, Yellowheart & Maple, Purpleheart.

Gorilla Glue

2011-03-21T11:59:00.001-07:00

Okay... just tried some last week. I've been having some issues with my pen tubes staying put in the blanks. After a post on IAP and about a 10 thousand different opinions, I decided to try a tube of Gorilla glue.

I applied glue to the tube, applied water to the hole and set it aide for 24 hours. I have yet to turn it, but, 'HELLO FOAM' My work bench looks like a root beer float explosion. Looks like I may need to rethink how much glue is needed.

Honestly if this doesn't hold the tube in the blank, I will be blown away!

Spraying Lacquer

2011-03-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Spent most of Sunday spraying black lacquer on my drums. Somethings I've learned.

No matter how hard I try, runs will happen

Warm lacquer sprays better than cold lacquer.

Black lacquer shows all your mistakes.

Buffing works and is pretty good exercise!

Over sanding means re-spraying. Think before you push too hard.

This is going to take a lot longer than I though

Tool Handles

2011-03-21T10:48:00.001-07:00

This was my first tool handle that I ever made.

It's mahogany on cheap Harbor Freight roundnose scraper. Seems like casting pearls before swine, but I just picked one at random...

I've made dozens of tool handles since, but haven't taken picture of any others. Mostly out of walnut for my set of files, knobs, knockout tools, and anything else I want to feel better in my hand. I'd much rather use a lathe turned handle than a store bought one.

In addition I now make a smaller ferrule and like using a brass fitting instead of a length of pipe.

The Table Saw

2011-03-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Too funny not to post!

"Our Table Saw Cake Knife is the perfect accessory for your kitchen tool belt. It's big and toothy so you can slice and dice your lettuce without discoloring it and show that cake that you really mean business! Aren't you feeling handy already?"

Spray Station

2011-03-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

I finally broke down and built a spray station in the garage. It's nothing complex, just a simple half hexagon, but should allow me to spray my drums and other small projects I may have in the future. Additionally it breaks down pretty easy.

I started with 1x2 lumber, and cut 6 pieces 24" long. I then mitered all the ends @ 22.5 degrees. That gives me a perfect hexagon shape layout.

I assembled two sets of three segments with pocket screw joinery and then added 3/4" x 20" vertical members. Those were also joined with pocket screws. build time was about an hour and a half with riping, cross-cutting and joining. After that I simply draped a plastic drop cloth over it.

Next I added a lazy susan with a 22" circle cut out of particle board at the band saw.

Now I've got a simple spray station that I can setup on the end of my outfeed table and take down in a minute or two. Hopefully it will increase results on the drums.

Can You See What I See?

2011-03-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

"Helpdesk, this is Peter"
"Yeah, I've got this, thing on the screen. What do I do?"
"What does it look like?"
"The computer?"
"No the thing... You know what, never mind. Can you open the Internet?"
"Is that the ball like icon...?"

Back in the day, when I worked helpdesk this was pretty typical call. We had to rely on descriptions from our users for what was happening. If we couldn't figure it out, it meant driving out on site to fix it. An expensive and time consuming proposition. These weren't dumb people, but they didn't know anything about computers. It would be like me calling a mechanic and expecting them to walk me through replacing an engine over the phone. Not a pretty picture.

If you have ever done any sort of computer support, then you know what a huge asset Remote Access is. Being able to see the remote computer and take control of it changes everything. It can easily turn a nightmare like call into a simple point and click operation.

I've also found it's also a great resource for me when I have to work from home. At the office I have a Lunix based workstation, and at home I'm running on a Windows computer. With remote access it doesn't matter. Just grab the mouse and get to work.

Quick, simple and functional. What more could you ask for?

Ice Cream Scoop

2011-03-10T12:12:00.001-08:00

A very simple turning. But a fun result!

California Walnut, loaded with voids! I filled it with CA, then just did a CA finish. Because it's easier for me than lacquer and I can take the turning off the lathe and start using it!

Wands

2011-03-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

Just as the title implies... I turned a Harry Potter style wand as a gift for my wife. She is a huge Harry Potter fan and I thought to gift would be a fun gag.

She regularly cast hexes on me.

Birch and Black Palm with a CA finish for durability.

As I have a princess crazy 4 year old in the house, I decided it would be unwise not to give her a wand of her own.

Birch colored with marker. CA finish as well.

Madrone BudVase

2011-03-03T22:01:00.000-08:00

Better picture as promised. Though, the color is a bit off. It's actually more orange in person. Oh well, at least you can make out the details better. One of these days I'll get my photography down... Probably not soon though!

Drum Update

2011-03-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Okay... This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.

The years of paint alone is going to be a FREAKING nightmare to remove. I had a stripper on the surface of the small tom for about 5 hours with no signs of peeling...

Additionally I've never sprayed lacquer. I think I'm in for a pretty steep learning curve here.

Madrone Vase

2011-03-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

I just completed a new bud vase this last weekend. I really need to pull out the photo tent and get a good picture of it. I really like it!

12 inches high, about 2 inches around and loaded with awesome cracks. I soaked it in CA and even did a CA finish that is just perfect! Might be one of my favorite pieces to date.

Where Does It Go?

2011-03-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

"Excuse me. Do you have the time?"
"Just enough for me. Sorry."

There never seems to be enough of it. Time only moves slowly when you're stuck in the meeting from hell or your getting cavities drilled. Otherwise time is an assets that all of us could use a little more of. During this time of year, we could all use a bit more time. I'm talking about the looming deadline that is April 15th!

When I think of all the things I'd like to have a a bit more time to do, writing a fat check to the government is pretty high on my list. Seriously, can I please not have to fork out any more dough this month? It's easy enough to do an e file tax extension, and postpone the pain till fall. Surprisingly most people don't do this. Instead they get all stressed out and worked up, when they could have an extra half a year to complete their taxes.

Some folks work best when stressed out though, really makes them shine. That's not me. I'll fall on my face every time. I hate stress. Time is my friend and I want as much of it as I can spare. It's one of those assets you begin to treasure the older you get and the more you realize how little of it we are blessed with, even if you do have to spend some of it paying taxes...

Vintage Gretsch Drums

2011-03-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

With the Unisaw restore finally behind me and no free tables to be found on my local Craigslist, I decided to take down my old drum kit from the garage shelves.

Back 15 years ago when my waistline was smaller and my paycheck was much much smaller, I bought a broken down set from my drum teacher for $100. He was very excited about it, and told me "Its a Gretsch" This meant nothing to me, as I was junior in high school.

Dave told me, "If you take your time and restore it, she'll be cherry."

Cherry? Who says that. So it's been with me, through 6 jobs, 4 houses and 2 kids. Sitting in the garage gathering dust and generally being demoralized. I've never set it up, because it's always been in pieces. Additionally, from all the holes in the shells, it appears to have been on a battle field at some point.

It's was at some point a 4 part Gretsch set from the mid 1960s. I know that, as I've located a sandwich baggie with three round badges in it. Looks like I've got a 20" bass, 16" floor tom, 14" small tom and a snare shell.

So enter my next project. Restoring a vintage set. I plan on being concerned mainly with preserving value, but not at the expensive of ugly. I want something beautiful, that sounds nice even it is not exactly perfect. We'll see where that lands me.

I have the tools and then time, and I'm ready for a new experience. So.. here are some now shots. Hopefully there will be some improvement in the near future.

Unisaw Died

2011-02-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Last week sometime I went to turn on my newly restored Delta Uni and found nothing but the strange and unsatisfying click of the switch.

"Click."
"What the hell?"
"Click, click click."

Where was my warm soothing hum and the sound of wind whipping through the gullets of my newly purchased saw blade? I love that sound. This unnerving click that had replaced it, was quite upsetting.

I checked the power outlet by plugging in a palm sander. The hope was a bad electrical outlet. That I could manage. I could not manage having spent 10 months and $400 on a saw that, while pretty, would not turn on! To my utter dissatisfaction, the sander worked fine. Crap.

I then did the grown up thing. I cursed. After I got that out of my system I wept. Clearly I wasn't in a good state of mind for further troubleshooting. I walked away. I was pissed but knew I wasn't going to fix it that night.

The a few days later I decided to try again. Now that I was in a much calmer state. If it was the motor, I would expect some strain or grind or at least the overloading pull of amps.

I dissembled the front switch plate of the Unisaw. Upon doing so, I began thinking, that I hadn't done this since April or so of last year. Once inside I found, to my elation, two loose connections. I had never tighten them. I had just used my fingers to secure the wires and put the switch assembly to the side as I began my original restore. After the restore I was concerned with the motor, but never looked at the switch. Once the wires were secured properly and the cover reassembled, all worked as before.

It's amazing how easy it is to panic and not follow a problem logically. A reminder to everyone during times of frustration. Take a step back, give your self a break and come at it with a clear head.

Because, blood sweat and tears cause rust and who needs that kind of aggravation!

Radial Arm Saw

2011-02-22T13:50:00.001-08:00

So... I picked up a 1980's era Radial Arm Saw on CL a while back. The owner was giving it away and I have a hard time refusing new tools. It's been sitting in a corner unused. Mostly because I know nothing about them.

I had heard about the Emerson safety recall a while back and decided to check it out. Turns out my saw qualified. I was sent out a new MDF table and a safety retrofit. This included a blade guard and trigger mechanism. For a newbie RAS user like me, this was a godsend.

This weekend I setup the saw in new location. With access to both the duct collector and bench. I've used it now for a couple of cuts and can say that I see definite use for it, especially in making angled cross cut as well as half laps and dado joints!

Unisaw Completed!

2011-02-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's finally over...

Table Flip

2011-02-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

I picked up a free table on Craigslist in mid January. It was a solid oak dining table in pretty bad shape. It had a broken leg, and the tabletop was in serious trouble. I wish I had gotten a picture of it before, but I was just to eager to get going...

Got it home and dissembled it.

I decided not to re-finish the whole thing. Just the top. The rest of it looked, okay. Used but fine. The leg was a glued up blank, that was just falling apart. A chisel and a few mallet whacks and the whole thing was in pieces.

I had to re-flatten all the parts on the jointer, and then re-glue. No biggie and it looked great!

Next to the top. Brought it down to bare wood with 40grit paper in about 15 minutes. Then worked my way back up 80, 100, 190, 220. 2 coats of poly (320 grit in between) and then posted it up on Craigslist for $85.

Got a call the next day and we settled for $80. All in all, I had it in the shop for about 5 days I think. Already looking for my next flip.

California Walnut Pen

2011-01-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

Found some beautiful color in this blank. I made sure not to go near it with any oil. The last thing I wanted was to darken this at all.

Birdhouse Tutorial

2010-12-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a few question on how to turn this. I might do things differently then others, so here is a quick and I believe easy process for turning bird ornaments.

Start with a 1 1/2 to 2 inch spindle blank in your chuck
Now rough it to a cylinder.
Mark and drill your two holes with a hand drill. I think mine are 1/2 and 1/8. Whatever looks right. (twist bit not brad point)
Then hollow it out down to the bottom hole you drilled. leaving 1/4 or so of wall. ( I hog it out with a large forstner in the tailstock then clean up with a round nose scraper)
Next shape the outside and then part off the base from the rest of the blank.

Now with the stock you have left you will make a jam chuck to hold the base

True up the face with a scraper.
Then with your parting tool make a tenon (1/4 or so) to match the hollow in the base.
Stop frequently and check. The mating should be snug but not too tight.
Mount the base and turn the bottom. (light cuts!)
Now sand and finish. The base is done.

Now for the roof.
The tenon you turned will be part of the roof (or chuck up a contrasting block and turn a mating tenon)
Turn and shape the top and then part off.

Now make a jam chuck to hold the roof (if there is enough material left or chuck up another spindle blank)

True up the face with a scraper.
turn a recess and mate the roof
Mount the roof and finish shaping the roof (light cuts!)
At this point I drill a 1/16 hole in the roof for the hanger (Jacobs chuck in the tailstock)
Now sand and finish. The roof is done.

Assemble with a little bit of glue.

Enjoy.

Keeping it Safe

2010-12-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

When it comes down to brass tacks you have to ask yourself, "what could you not live without?" For me and mine we have important documents and family mementos that we couldn't bear to see lost. The solution is a fireproof safe. Simple? Sure, the best solutions usually are.

Walnut Pens

2010-11-29T16:41:00.000-08:00

Buying Reconditioned Tools

2010-11-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

As a woodworker I have acquired a lot of power tools. It can become a very expensive hobby, as any other woodworker knows.

For me, reconditioned tools have been a great way to fill my toolbox and save my wallet. For instance, I picked up a reconditioned router when I first got into this hobby. It has served me faithfully for almost 4 years without any issues! The best part? It was a huge savings!

Additionally I picked up a Bostitch brad nailer last year and I saved a bundle of dough. As a weekender woodworker I just don't use it enough to justify paying more. I've never had any issues with it, so why pay more?!

For my money reconditioned tools are a great deal.

Stopper Commission

2010-11-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's always fun to get a special request from a customer. Sometimes you like the idea, and other times you just have to turn it even if it isn't your tastes.

This time I though the idea was pretty cool! She wanted 4 of my goblet shaped stoppers that would double as tapered candle holders.

Here's one of them. California walnut (surprise!) with a CA finish.

If anything the request simplified the turning. Normally I use a round nose scraper on the end to get a smooth bowl shape. On these, I just just drilled out a 3/4 inch hole about 1/2 deep.

And together

California Walnut, Lignum Vitate, Claro Walnut, Redheart

C&C welcome.

Pens

2010-11-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

It's pen season again and I'm back on blank duty.

Here's a couple of new ones...

African Blackwood with sapwood. Finished with CA.

Corian segment. Polished to a glass like shine. A nice heavy pen.

Ring Holder

2010-10-12T13:55:00.001-07:00

Turned from a scrap walnut piece. A very simple turning that has become a dead useful item for the wife.

Wonder if there could be any profit in it... hummm

More Stoppers

2010-09-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Since the last two bowls I turned died a horrible death on the lathe, I only have stoppers to show. Maybe I'll get lucky next week.

Rockwell Jointer

2010-09-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

Scored a 6 inch jointer on CL a month ago.

Decided against a restore, and instead opted for a quick clean up. The jointer was in pieces but I got it for a great deal. $45

Here's the before and after. About 1 weekend of work.

Sold my old 4" jointer this last weekend for $45. So, in my mind this tool was free.

Unisaw Motor

2010-09-23T07:58:00.001-07:00

The last piece of the Unisaw restore is underway. And out of my control.

I finally saved up enough dough to get the motor repaired. I called around town and this was the first place that responded correctly

"I have a repulsion induction motor that is slow to start"
"Did you check the capacitor?"
"Nevermind... Click"

Finally I got this guy who claims to get a couple of these a month.
"I call them unisaw motors"
"That works for me. What do you think is the trouble"
At which point he began describing the brushes and wiring in a way that made me realize he had knowledge of these motors and how to troubleshoot

"I'm not sure if I can fix it, I'll do my best."
"How long?"
"A week or so..."

Not exactly instilling confidence, but certain a stronger base than the other shops! Now I wait, and too my saw waits all cleaned and painted in it's new mobile base awaiting news of it's 1950's motor and how much it will cost.

Man I hate waiting!

Picture Challenged

2010-09-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

I take lousy pictures.

It's a known fact. Mostly if doesn't matter, as I don't sell my woodworking online. People would see it, like it. They can touch it and feel how smooth the finish is, or how well something fits. It's a tactile experience.

Whenever I show my stuff online, I feel like a novice. The Gomer Pile of woodworking.

"This is really fine looking wood ya'll. The sweet stuff."
"OH... Yeah. Thanks so much."

I'm not claiming to be a great woodworker, but I feel my photos make it look worse than it really is.

Example: This is a birdhouse I turned recently. Here is the BEST shot I could get.

So I built this photo tent last night. It's created from a 12x12x8 cardboard box and two pieces of tissue paper. I brought in my one light and took a few shots.

Now it's not a beautiful picture but at least you can tell what it is! I've got a long way to go and I've received some tips for moving forward. Hopefully in the future my pictures will more accurately display my work.

Of course this means I'll not be about to hide my mistakes as well either! A small price to pay.

Sending Wood

2010-09-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

I've been shipping loads of packages recently. Wood, magazines and other whatnot. All that shipping label printing adds up. Ink jet cartridges are expensive, and discount inks are hard to find. Oh well just one more expensive to figure in...

Delta Scroll Saw

2010-09-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Delta Scroll Saw model 1200

I picked it up for $25 from a gentlemen who has been using if for the last 20 years or so. By the sound of it he had a few to sell and was cleaning out his garage.

The motor is a century 1/6 hp motor. I've yet to power it up, but it's now second in line for the restore queue. (behind the much needed jointer) It's also the first old tool I've bought that wasn't covered in rust.

Media Center

2010-08-25T15:33:00.001-07:00

In my house DVD's are becoming outdated. Just like ten years ago when MP3's began to replace conventional audio media, now too the conversion is happening for video.

Almost all off my extensive library is stored on an external HDD plugged into my media center. It can be backed up like any other data and is at my fingertips without ever opening a DVD case, or worrying about scratches. I love the digital age!

First Bowl

2010-08-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

Liquidambar 6" wide by 2 inches high. Finished with Danish Oil.

Not terribly interesting grain or wood but completing a bowl is a big deal for this spindle turner.

Certainly a very different experience to a box or even a cup. It was the transition from the bottom to the wall that was so unexpectedly complicated. As with anything I imagine it comes with doing.

Bathroom Upgrade

2010-08-25T12:51:00.001-07:00

As a woodworker, building cabinets is not uncommon. In my short stint in the hobby I have produced a couple of nice cabinets for my home. It's amazing how something like that can transform an area.

The bathroom is no exception. In fact adding bathroom vanities is more significant of a change in the restroom. Since the room is so much smaller, than say a living room, the vanity can totally change the whole look of the space.

So if you seriously are interested in sprucing up the bathroom. Start with the vanity. Add a couple of accessories and you'll so find yourself in a whole new space!

Stoppers

2010-08-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

Claro Walnut and CA finish

Claro Walnut Burl and CA finish

Juniper and CA finish

Madrone and Maylands finish

With Friends!

Saved By The Electron

2010-08-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I found myself with a document in hand that needed to be transcribed into the computer. Seriously? Am I a secretary? I never took typing in high school and I'm a hunt and peck typist at best. This was going to take hours.Luckily with my handy a3 scanner and OCR software, the document was digitized in no time. I love technology!

More Uni Saw Progress

2010-07-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, just like a new suit can change a man, a new coat of paint can really change a tool. The cabinet has been painted, the top cleaned and the inter-workings of the saw re-installed. Here are some glamour shots.

Oops! No motor! I'm not done yet.

I still have to save enough green to get my motor repaired and take some time to clean up and paint the fence.

But it feels good to put it together for a bit and remember where I've come from.

TV Broken

2010-07-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

I was just reading about a guy with a broken television. He stated that his TV was dead and now he had nothing to watch until getting it repaired. Being a man my first thought was "You have one TV?!" That seems unthinkable. It's not 1952 anymore.

Then I began to consider. How many do I have? Just two... Which of course leads to the next thought. Time to consider a Tertiary option. Like a handheld TV for travel or the horrible thought of both entertainment portals being down at the same time.

More Unisaw Updates...

2010-06-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

All parts cleaned and waiting for cabinet completion and reassembly. The fence and other "non-guts" will be done after re-assembly in an effort to maintain my sanity.

Wire Wheel----

Wire Wheel----

Wire Wheel----

I'm declaring the top done for now. Once it's all resembled if the bug hits, I'll give it another goings over...

Rust Removal

2010-06-14T13:08:00.001-07:00

It's amazing what can be done to a decade of rust with 4 green scrubbers, a bit of WD-40 and two hours of your time.

Sure it's a bit tiring, but honestly worth the effort!

Before

After

Cup and Ball

2010-06-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Now you can see what my sphere was for. I turned a cup out of some oak 1x1's glued up into a 3X3 block. Hollowed with a fortsner bit and then cleaned up and sized with a round nose scraper. Sanded to 600 and finished with Mylands.

Ball is a near perfect fit witch makes the game enjoyable even for a 32 year old!

Turning A Sphere

2010-05-24T09:37:00.001-07:00

Turning a ball is more work than you think.

I first tried a simple method..

Turn a blank round

Form the ball

Part off and sand.

Clearly, not a ball...

On to step two!

Chuck up a chunk of walnut, and scrape out a cup...

Part off for the tailstock....

Scrape out an matched set for the chuck side..

They should match up.

Insert square block..

Okay. You turn off the edges, rotate your block. Turn off more edges, rotate your block.

Etc. About 15-20 minutes later...

You can see how I turned a way the jam chuck as I went. The closer you get to spherical, the less you remove each rotation. Like anything practice till you're happy with it!

1950 Unisaw Cleanup Pictures

2010-05-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Toppless!

Disassembly.

Gutted.

Rust, rust and more rust!

Let the cleaning begin!

Delta Unisaw Fixer-Uper

2010-04-28T17:32:00.001-07:00

I got an angle on a vintage Delta Unisaw yesterday afternoon.

Called the guy about 5 minutes after the CL posting. He said it was his dads and it stopped working for him late in '09. It had been outside under a tarp since then. Rushed out to his place to buy/ checked it out. No visible cracks and most parts accounted for.

Honestly there wasn't much to do, because after my call the guy got 6 other calls in 30 minutes and one fella offered him double the asking price. I pretty much was like. "Yep it's a Uni. Here's your dough."

I gave him his 50 bucks he was asking and then he and I plus his two kids and his wife hoisted it up into my pickup. It was a riot!

Home safe

Rope was just for show. This thing wasn't going anywhere!

A wee bit rusty

With sawdust from 1952, or there abouts, included!

I've never worked with a tool this heavy, I was flabbergasted! Unisaw extraction team. FIL, BIL, Me!

I plan on a full restore. I'm in no rush to get it done. Luckily lots have come before me and I've found tons of guides and how to's. I'll keep you posted

Lumber Rack

2010-04-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

As a woodworker transporting lumber is sometimes just as challenging as completing a project! Sure we can all get a 12" wide board in our cars and trucks but what to do about plywood, MDF or laminate?

"Got a spare space for my lumber?
"Sure thing. How much room you need?"
"Oh, say...4 feet by 9 feet!"

If you're woodworker than you know all about the joys of transporting sheet goods. In my little truck, a rack would be a huge improvement over my current methodology. Most of that involves brute force and an can of Crisco.

click image to follow link
A rack like the one above would be a dream in comparison. If of course you need other chevy truck accessories, well RealTruck has them too. For me though, this is my pick.

Missing My Shop Time

2010-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I'm in charge of the kids. It's not that I resent watching my two young daughters for the weekend, but more that I'm missing my garage.

Friday I helped my brother in law paint some base boards for his house. It was fine, if not a bit of a mistake to try and use my paint gun. It died a horrible death and wasted most of the morning and afternoon. As such I have 10 12' boards drying in my garage and another 10 waiting to get painted.

So... even with that unpleasant shop atmosphere, watching Backyardigans, painting princess party hats and cooking chicken nuggets is more unpleasant. Oh well. Back to the garage on Friday I hope!

Moving On Up

2010-04-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

I believe I am a professional mover. That is to say I've moved a lot. My family was always on the go in my youth. We lived in seven houses before I was thirteen years of age. That's quite a bit of packing and unpacking. We were quite used to it. In contrast my wife lived in the same house for over twenty years before she met me.

Since becoming my bride, she now has a total of six moves under her belt. During almost of these moves, in my youth and now my adult life, we moved ourselves. Moving yourself is a pain in the butt. You are responsible for everything. From packing grandmas china to renting a truck. Loading a moving truck is about the worst job you can get. It's like a crazy Tetris game where the pieces keep coming and you're not even allowed to die.

As a friend of mine stated during our last move, "You know what I like most about moving?"
"What?"
"Nothing."

The two smoothest moves I've ever done are the two that we hired movers for. No stress at all. Simply packed up the boxes and watched someone else move all the furniture, boxes and appliance. I loved it.

So if you're in the Southern California area, look into Irvine movers, Carlsbad movers or these San Diego movers. Save yourself the hassle and both you and your back can thank me later.