Woodworkers of Head Case unite!

[Fitz]

I'd definitely be a lot more comfortable using a table saw with something like a SawStop on it, because table saws scare the bejeezus outta me.

15 hours ago, Voltron said:

Nothing bigger than a 10" blade

You gotta remember, 10" is small to someone like him.

[swt61]

If a tablesaw scares you, you shouldn't use it. I say that because if you're afraid and the wood does something like starts to twist, you're probably going to freak and do the wrong thing. 

Understanding the damage a tablesaw can do, and having a healthy respect for that is something different. I liken it to driving a car. If you've had good training and you use solid practices, you should be fine. There's never any guarantee though. Sometimes things can go bad. The good thing is that usually there are no other drivers on the road, so if you can stay focused on your own driving it usually works out just fine. Just as newer cars have better safety features, so do newer table saws. There were no riving knives when I first learned how to use a tablesaw, and certainly no blade breaking systems. I've seen kickbacks literally open people up. Not pretty. I used to be able to say that I'd never had any serious accident on a table saw. In fact, before cutting my finger a few years back, my most serious accident in woodworking was cutting my thumb on a stationary belt sander. That was in high school. I was 16. I don't get to brag about that anymore, but I did get right back on the horse with no fear (possibly a bit of stupidity).

Still, the lesson I learned from that incident is to trust my own instinct. I knew what I was  attempting was stupid and unnecessarily dangerous, but I let my boss talk me into it anyway. To save the man 30 minutes of driving. I'm not angry with him. I knew his character. I'm angry with myself for not standing up for myself. I have a habit of that. My coach Milo is helping me with that personality flaw.

I veered off coarse, but my points were...  Respect for the tool. Training for the tool. Focus. Safety innovations are good.

Even for old farts like me that sometimes initially scoff at them.

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by swt61

[Craig Sawyers]

Ash plank, finished entirely with hand tools (planes and scraper). Well, not quite true, I dimensioned it using machine tools (radial saw and planer/thicknesser), and then moved to hand tools. Second pic is paper thin plane shavings from the process.

This thing, once it has a coat or two of something to be determined, is a coat rack!

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Craig Sawyers

[swt61]

And you can save those shavings to decorate gift boxes. 

I'm actually being serious. I once wrapped a Christmas present with brown paper, and used curled shavings to make bows and decorations. 

[Craig Sawyers]

Darn - they are all in the shop vac bag now

[Craig Sawyers]

OK that works, while keeping the nice pale appearance of ash. Several coats of sanding sealer, then several coats of wax polish.

[VPI]

It the temperatures ever drop below 90 degrees I am going to start on a dog kennel for the basement as a Frisco does better in the kennel than roaming when we are gone. 
Probably walnut with some kind of bars. 
 

Really want to either add a large drawer on top or smaller drawers down one edge. Working on design options. 

[Craig Sawyers]

Forgot to mention - one of the key things to getting shavings that thin are (1) An excellent plane - I use Clifton hand planes, patterned on the old bedrock design where you can change the mouth without removing the blade. And (2) An excellent blade. I use Ron Hock blades and chip breakers. These take a razor edge, and keep it for much longer than a regular plane blade. I can't remember whether I chose high carbon or A2. Given how long they hold an edge I think they are A2.

https://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/acatalog/HAND-PLANES.html

http://www.hocktools.com/products/bp.html although I see that, like so many things now, quite a few are out of stock.

[dsavitsk]

9 hours ago, Craig Sawyers said:

I can't remember whether I chose high carbon or A2. Given how long they hold an edge I think they are A2.

I have several Lie Nielsen planes with A2 blades, and they are all very nice. But I recently picked up a Veritas shooting plane with their PM-V11 blade, and it is astonishing. It is, impossibly, both quicker to sharpen and holds an edge longer. It's nice enough that I find myself debating a Veritas low angle jack notwithstanding that I own the LN already.

[Craig Sawyers]

The Veritas (and Lie Nielsen) shooting planes are superb bits of kit - but not cheap for sure! But no half way decent manual hand tool (or machine tool) is cheap. Lie Nielsen's production has ground to a virtual standstill though as a result of Covid. They have started some manufacture again, but have left off manufacturing their lower sales volume products - like the scraping planes and shooting plane.

In my early days of woodworking I made the mistake of buying Record planes - and the soles were like bananas. I tried in vain to flatten them, hours of work - and then they would move again! At least Clifton, Veritas and Lie Nielsen planes are already flat to high tolerance and stay flat.

The other great planes are the Chinese Quangsheng. Their hand planes are all bedrock design. I have some of their block planes, basically identical knock off of Lie Nielsen ones but half the price - but they are also great. Thick A2 or equivalent Chinese grade blades that hold a superb edge. I'm looking forward to a shooting plane from them!

Edited August 11, 2021 by Craig Sawyers

[Craig Sawyers]

Finished coat rack, with wall fixings hidden underneath the outside hangers

 

[swt61]

How in the fuck has The American Woodshop been on the air for decades? I could quite literally teach a 10 y.o. to be a better woodworker within a month.

I get so annoyed watching this guy. I call him the Woodbutcher. Woodsmith is far better, and has it's place teaching intermediate woodworking tips. But what about a show for the advanced hobbyist? 

Woodworks with David Marks was great! It shouldn't be that difficult to put together another show of that caliber.

Any good woodworking shows in the UK Craig?

Edited August 16, 2021 by swt61

[dsavitsk]

35 minutes ago, swt61 said:

How in the fuck has The American Woodshop been on the air for decades?

It's truly terrible. The only one I have learned much from, and I have learned a lot from it, is the Woodright's Shop. I know that's not Steve's cup of tea, but I think the information goes well beyond just the old-timey stuff, even if that's the focus.

[VPI]

My poor woodworking shop has been neglected for a few months and really shows it. The Jessem Router Table has rusty screws everywhere, several hand tools had a nice surface rust and even the Forrest is all rusted up from staying on the saw without proper service. 

Might need to try some dehumidifier in the garage or finally put in a proper HVAC in there. 

[swt61]

48 minutes ago, dsavitsk said:

It's truly terrible. The only one I have learned much from, and I have learned a lot from it, is the Woodright's Shop. I know that's not Steve's cup of tea, but I think the information goes well beyond just the old-timey stuff, even if that's the focus.

I'm not about to forgo power tools. That said, he's a very skilled guy, with lots of useful information. And I have enjoyed that show a lot.

Jeff, that hurts my heart. 

[Craig Sawyers]

54 minutes ago, swt61 said:

Any good woodworking shows in the UK Craig?

Absolutely zero Steve. I made the mistake of watching a US guy on a remote channel maybe 10 years or more ago, and it started with "First set up your spindle moulder...". Yeah, like we've all got one of those in our home shop.

The main inspiration is DVD's and You Tube channels of David Charlesworth https://www.davidcharlesworth.co.uk/ and Rob Cosman - mainly users of hand tools, and usually sponsored by Lie Nielsen etc.

And of course the books of Krenov, the Zen master of fine furniture making.

I used to be a real follower of David Savage, who alas went to cancer  https://finefurnituremaker.com/news-blog/david-binnington-savage-1949-2019/ , and learnt to hammer veneer in hide glue and French polish by practicing his super instructional DVDs. They seem to have stopped selling their entire range of DVDs alas.

[Craig Sawyers]

42 minutes ago, VPI said:

My poor woodworking shop has been neglected for a few months and really shows it. The Jessem Router Table has rusty screws everywhere, several hand tools had a nice surface rust and even the Forrest is all rusted up from staying on the saw without proper service. 

Might need to try some dehumidifier in the garage or finally put in a proper HVAC in there. 

 

My shop is in the garage, with very poor sealing around the up and over door (and hence a battle with spiders!). But curiously, even given that the UK is permanently wet, I have no problems with rust.

But I am rather paranoid about wiping tools (hand and machine) with either rust preventative or Camellia Oil.

[dsavitsk]

Just now, Craig Sawyers said:

But curiously, even given that the UK is permanently wet, I have no problems with rust.

The UK is wet, but Chicago was built on a swamp. Things there just rust. The humidity has to be experienced to be understood.

[VPI]

It is funny that the Forrest blade on the Mitre Saw is perfect.

[Craig Sawyers]

20 minutes ago, dsavitsk said:

The UK is wet, but Chicago was built on a swamp. Things there just rust. The humidity has to be experienced to be understood.

Ah - OK. I've only ever changed planes at O'Hare, and haven't poked my head outside. Sounds like I missed an experience!

Yeah - sounds like you need aircon in there. A dehumidifier is usually a waste of time unless it is industrial grade.

[swt61]

32 minutes ago, Craig Sawyers said:

My shop is in the garage, with very poor sealing around the up and over door (and hence a battle with spiders!). But curiously, even given that the UK is permanently wet, I have no problems with rust.

But I am rather paranoid about wiping tools (hand and machine) with either rust preventative or Camellia Oil.

I think it's the humidity that's a problem in the Chicago area. Anchorage can be very wet, and it's right next to a large body of saltwater. Rust isn't a big problem though, because it doesn't get warm enough for the salt or water to evaporate into the air. You don't even smell it, though you're right next to it.

As for You Tube... check out a young man by the name of Olivier Gomis. Mostly a wood turner, but he takes it to another level. I think he's across the channel from you. But he could be Belgian as easily as French. Amazing work for such a young guy. He has an amazing imagination. And he works in a pretty limited space.

Edited August 16, 2021 by swt61

[VPI]

I should have just left everything to rust, every project I tried to finish today was either thwarted by wrong parts or lack of skills so nothing accomplished. 

I tend to get drawer sides from OWL hardwoods with the bottom 1/4 dado already done and I just add the locking rabbets. I went to build some tonight and I found the whole set had bottom slots of .338 inches. Not sure if they screwed up or it is intended for some weird plywood of which I am not aware.

Built the larger drawers for the lower half of the drill press cart and did not have the spacing right on the Saw Stop so ended up with tight fit that I still tried to jam in, breaking one of my dados. I really wish the Saw Stop fence on my shitty model would just lock down where you want it, but instead it shifts quite a bit as part of the locking process leaving spacing a bit off. 

Did manage to get a drill press table built, but only have my cheap Jet to mount it on as the Nova seems to be back ordered, even though Grizzly showed it in stock. 

[Craig Sawyers]

My shop at the moment is 18.5C (65F) and 67% humidity on the meter I leave in there. But it is only 8:20 am here. I used to have a dehumidifier, and the bucket used to fill up daily - but it had no real effect one way or the other on the not-really-a-problem rust. Since it was just cluttering up my already small shop, I just got rid of it.

It is so compact that in order to put long planks through the bandsaw, I have to open the garage door, and put height-adjustable roller supports outside. Needs must and all that.

[luvdunhill]

Is there anything I can do to remove a twist from a piece of pressure treated pine? My installation won’t put enough force on it to take the twist out. I am using the entire 16’ piece and it started dripping wet and slimy and dried out not so straight ..

[swt61]

Short answer... not really. 

Heat and steam, but not sure how you'd accomplish that on a 16' board.