| This blog is written by Mainiac Matt | 158 entries so far |
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #18: Calling it done
Calling the Morris Chair done. Finally wrapped up the back rest cushion and added 3/4” to the ...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #17: Seat Cushion Done
My old Singer wouldn’t get through some of the spots with 6 layers, so I had to get a local guy w...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #16: Seat leather vents
I already have brass grommets, the punch and the hammer and anvil set up for putting grommets in ...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #15: Prepping cushions
Routed foam edges. Applied Dacron batting with spray glue.
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #14: Cutting up leather
Cracked .pdf files for leather pattern with Inkscape. Saved as .dxf. Deleted text and dims and ...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #13: Fuming day
1.5 cups of 30% NH3 in a glass sheet cake pan. 62 deg. F outside Waiting for the ...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #12: Finish Decisions
Set up a test for NH3 fuming I put a gasket on the tote and had a pretty good seal...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #11: Side project in prep. for cushion upholstery
This is a 1922 Singer model 66 “Red Eye” treadle powered sewing machine Stripped, deep...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #10: Getting it all together
Turned 3/4” hardwood dowel down to a light 5/8” Sanded on the lathe to fit a test hole...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #9: More joinery and a boo-boo
Cut mortices on the chisel morticer and then cleaned up the bottoms… only to have a problem...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #8: Seat back time
These sticks told me they wanted to be a seat back when they grew up. And it’s time to lay...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #7: Corbels anyone ?
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #6: Slats, spacers & CNC
Last weekend I cut the slats for the side frame and the slot in the rails… today I’m ...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #5: Tenons anyone?
Mounted the new FTG rip blade and dig out my shop built tenonig jig. Set blade height Adjus...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #4: Cleaned up mortices and chamfered feet
Made a sanding block by attaching 80 grit sand paper to a 3/8” thick Aluminum block and used it...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #3: Mortises cut in legs
This will only be the second time that I’ve used the old Delta chisel morticer I bought 2nd hand ...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #2: bending jig my way
The Wood Mag. plan makes the bent arms by laminating thin strips together while bending them over...
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Morris Chair build ala. Wood Mag. plans #1: And so it begins
One of my main goals in setting up a home woodshop has been to make heirloom quality furniture in...
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CNC router build #7: The Glue-Bot in action
We’ve had the Glue-Bot prototype up and running for a month or so now. >Glue control...
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CNC router build #6: more progress
Control panel and micro PC mounted. X-axis motor and pulleys mounted We’re se...
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CNC router build #5: It's Alive (almost)
Got a lot of assembly work done today. Tested the X & Y axis using a cordless drill. R...
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CNC router build #4: Using a CNC to make a CNC... the bots are taking over!
The key to this design is an accurate solid model. Here you can see the riser plates for the gan...
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CNC router build #3: Electronic Package going together lickity split...
When I converted my bench top mill to CNC control, I used a really slick little unit called a Gec...
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CNC router build #2: Z-axis motor mount fabricated and installed.
Fabricated the motor mounts and bored out the motor shaft coupler to fit the metric ball screw sh...
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CNC router build #1: CNC router plans and back story
Hi all, After years of planning and several different design variations… all with a tigh...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #26: All done
I finally wrapped up the finish with three coats of padded blonde shellac (4 on the lid) and then...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #25: Mission lacquer count down...
4 thin coats of a shellac padded on and dry Touch sanded with 400 grit and soapy waterR...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #24: Padding Shellac
Some people have expressed interest in the shellac finish I’m using…. Here’s a ...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #23: Interior done finish started
Pine cleats glued and screwed. Plywood bottom installed, and cedar liner glued in… ...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #22: Corners glued up and first frame glued up.
I glued up one corner with biscuits and clamp blocks and a second with no biscuits and painters t...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #21: Cope cuts, Cross cuts and Bevel cuts
I banged out a quick cross cut sled as my sliding miter is a little fickle maintaining a square c...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #20: Re-routed and sanded the raised panels
Here you can see the difference in the profile when I used the correct guide bearing… ...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #19: I screwed up big time :^(
The Amana AGM raised panel set I’m using has a back cutter and came set up with a large bea...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #18: Hand sanding & sealing the panels
Went to Home Depot today and bought sanding sponges, sand paper and a nice little sanding block&#...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #17: Profile sanding the raised panel end grain.
Santa gave me a multi-tool for Christmas and I used a Home Depot gift card to buy some accessorie...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #16: Finished raising the rest of the panels
All six are done. All were routed in one shot. Follow on passes made here and there to even up ...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #15: First raised panels (ever)
Well this was a little nerve racking, but it seems to have turned out OK. After cutting a couple...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #14: A little metal working
This entry illustrates metal working in support of woodworking. I snapped the pics and added it...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #13: one step back
When I glued up my panels one of the end panels had some week spots that looked as if they might ...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #12: panels cut to size and styles prepped
My first big mistake happened earlier this week when I set up the TS sled to cut my panels to siz...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #11: How I prep card scrapers.
I make no claim to be a “real” galoot with the card scraper, but this process to rene...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #10: Panels Cleaned Up
I finished the 5 panel glue ups and put the clamping cauls and clamps away, and cleared the bench...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #9: gluing up panels with the new clamping cauls
Got a couple hours in the shop tonight. Sorting boards to match grain, color and shade, and then...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #8: Back at it...
I’ve finally wrapped up my last interfering project and have cleared the decks for action t...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #8: wrapping it up
I just recently realized that I never wrapped this blog up. So today I will add some pics of the...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #7: Aftèr a long delay, we have bread boards
It’s been a 2 year delay, so I guess I better get going on this project again… The...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #7: crane day cometh...
out with the old… landing the base of the new… and the top… all put to...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #6: Murphy bit us
Well tomorrow was supposed to be our crane day to remove the old Torrit cartridge DC and install ...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #5: Removing old bags.
I mentioned previously that we were disappointed to discover that this bag house had been used in...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #4: Houston, the Eagle has landed...
Here’s what showed up last night … Unloaded with two oversized fork trucks and...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #3: Just what exactly is a "bag house"
Though you see mostly pleated canister filters on the newer small DC systems and a lot of guys up...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #2: Rules and Regs.... how to stay out of trouble.
I knew going into the project that there were more than a few rules and regs out there stipulatin...
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Industrial Scale Dust Collection #1: Old System Doesn't Suck Enough
I’m up to my elbows in alligators lately overseeing a sizeable project for our Wood Departm...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #11: Houston, the Eagle has landed
My friends son (later 20s and a great guy) is pretty buff and stopped by to help lift the lathe&#...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #10: Skim coat to make up for my "iffy" flat work
Every time I do mason work, I finish up with a fresh respect for professional masons who do the w...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #9: Leveled the bench and poured concrete top
Trimmed the front leg bottoms and slipped in plastic shims to get the bench spot on level…...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #8: Ready for the top
The finish is more or less a bust (I’m not showing the bad sides), but I need to move on...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #7: Sand, start finish and tool tray
Decided to keep cost minimal and use an unopened can of Pecan Poly Shades….. And only mana...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #6: Short stretchers and sanding
Decided to add short stretchers to cap the plywood shelf ends… Since these where...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #5: Ledgers and mid-span support
Today’s progress….. Ledgers and mid-span member to support the 3/4” plywood ...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #4: She's got legs...
I decided that I would mend my errant dados instead of replacing the leg, as it would be trying t...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #3: more progress
Breaking down panels with my cordless saw and a T square… I cut them oversized so I can ge...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #2: Joinery decisions and cutting the framing members
The top needs a 1×10 perimeter frame…. I was going to try using a Lock Miter bit I ha...
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Bench/stand for metal working lathe #1: New lathe needs a place to hang out
After conspiring for some four years I finally saved up my pennies for the Grizzly G0602 metal cu...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #6: Cleaned up the top and sanded.... almost blew it.
So this is the one tool in my shop that has time and time again brought me to the brink of catast...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #5: Top is glued up
I am very happy with the quality of cut I am getting with the Fussion blade, and have no reservat...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #4: Stock prep day
Sorted boards to get the straightest ones, then hit them with a wire brush to get the dirt off of...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #3: Hauled in wood from the barn to acclimate
This pile of lumber was given to my good friend after painting a house. They apparently are the...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #2: Drafted shop drawings
I cleaned up my solid model and created a 5 page set of shop drawings….
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #13: Flip stop fabricated and project done.
I found a stub of UHMW PE plastic and threw it on my little bench top mill to fabricate a sliding...
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Hope Chest for Daughter #2 #1: Design approved and construction details planned out....
Daughter #2 has “approved” the design of her hope chest. Here’s my rendere...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #12: Fence is done
Because my saws fence overhangs by quite a bit and I didn’t want to cut the T-track, so I m...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #11: Getting the fence done
I finished tuning up the saw, put a new kerf plate in and put it back into service. I’ve h...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #10: changed DC hood mounting
While the saw was still on the job site stand, I mounted the DC hood to the saw’s clamping ...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #9: TLC for the SCMS
While waiting for Incra T-track plus to make my fence, I’m doing some maintenance on the SC...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #8: Two wings are better than one
Got the first wing modified to match the second and re-mounted it. Shimmed the saw feet to get...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #7: Secon wing done
I have the second wing mounted, and came up with a better arrangement for the leveling screw, so ...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #6: we have a wing
Here’s the wing in the up position… and the down position… I scav...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #5: Fitting the saw and hood
Turns out my measurement of the saw base was off by an 1/8”, so I’m going to need to ...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #4: We gots wings!
Made up the wings today…. Melamine tops, plywood sides and pine ends. Made up the a fra...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #3: Carcass built
I had planned on making this mostly out of Melamine, as I can buy it at work very cheaply. But w...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #2: Partitions
We do a lot of corrugated partitions at work, and occasionally do similar designs out of plywood ...
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SCMS stand w/ folding wings #1: Plan modeled
Two years ago I found this article in FWW magazine and knew this was the sand I wanted to build. ...
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Father - Daughter Project #21: all done....
Cedar boards installed… Hinged top and lid stays…. lock and engraving&#...
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Father - Daughter Project #20: Hinges, lid stays & lock set
Getting close to wrapping this one up… I was sweating bullets that I would mount the lid c...
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Father - Daughter Project #19: Final assembly and applying finish.
Glued up the for frames, added ledger to support bottom, and installed Next was final sand...
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Father - Daughter Project #18: Big event
It’s starting to look like a hope chest…
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Father - Daughter Project #17: Final panel glued up
Now that the engraving is done I could glue up the last frame…
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Father - Daughter Project #16: Name engraved on front style
I thought another way to make the project special would be to engrave some text or artwork. My d...
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Father - Daughter Project #15: Glued up some frames
Cut little foam blocks to keep the floating panels centered…. Test fit and now ready...
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Father - Daughter Project #14: Cut mortice for lock set
I finally got to use the mortiser I picked up from Craig’s List last year. I have it set u...
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Father - Daughter Project #13: Finishing up the panels
The inside edges of the raised panels have to be blunted as they stand proud on the inside and pr...
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Father - Daughter Project #12: Dry fit frame and final size panels
After sanding the panels we ripped and cross cut them to final size… I was a little nerv...
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Father - Daughter Project #11: tweaked tenons and dry fit assembly
I paired each tenon to fit it’s mortise snugly and dry fit the assembly thus far. ItR...
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Father - Daughter Project #10: Tenons anyone?
I decided to do them on the router table, as the setup seemed to be easier and my dado blade ...
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Father - Daughter Project #9: Styles are done
Set up router table to cut the lower mortice, with stop blocks at either both ends to establish t...
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Father - Daughter Project #8: progress on the styles...
Well my daughter has been away at camp and she’s volunteering at VBS when she gets back, so...
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Father - Daughter Project #7: Top side finished
We’re lovin’ this Cherry tone Danish Oil…. We jitter bug sanded w/ 220 and t...
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Father - Daughter Project #6: Back at it
Now that schools winding down, my daughter has time to play… And now that I’ve got ...
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #8: The eagle has landed
I kept some stubs of perforated angle iron I didn’t need when setting up a set of basement ...
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #7: Closing up the bottom
Mounted the DC stubs to the bottom and then attached the bottom with TBII and screws. Usin...
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #6: Bottom with double blast gate
Here with the gate shut And here with it open
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #5: Progress
Clamps off (and put away :^) DC fittings arrived today… Next step is to fabri...
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #4: First assembly glue up is done
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #3: perimeter fence detailed
Bill Pentz makes a strong case for the need of a perimeter fence, to constrain the “cloud&#...
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #2: cut the parts today...
If you’ve followed any of my other builds, you’ll remember that I have after hours ac...
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TS outfeed table with downdraft #1: The Nutty Professor is at it again
This view shows the back side of my recently refurbished TS. There are ~46” between the sa...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #26: Calling it done (for now)
Put on a Freud Fusion blade and aligned the saw. Put the rule on the fence. Saw is cutting very...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #25: fence aligned, ZCI fit, etc...
I use a Veritas straightedge and feeler gage to align the fence to the slot… I go for para...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #24: Extention table hooked up, fence mounted.
Gettin’ there….
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #23: Fence is mostly done...
here it is… Ready to set up the ext. table and the fence….
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #22: New facing for Biesemeyer fence
I picked up a set of transfer punches on sale at a discount tool place last year. And though I d...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #21: Extension table done
Titebond Melamine for the wood to Melamine joints and Titebond III for the wood to wood joints. ...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #20: assembling the extension wing/router table
Cleared the bench tonight (no small task) and test fit the router plate into the top… and t...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #19: Building the Extension Table..... My Way!
Ol’ Frankie Baby wasn’t the only guy who liked to “do it my way” :^) ...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #18: Wings mounted... ready for takeoff
I mounted and alligned the table today… I took a good long time using a combinatin square a...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #17: bummin about humming
So the saw is making a weird vibration/humming noise, but when I take off the belts and run just ...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #16: Time to think about the extension table
The original table is in pretty rough shape… The laminated surface on the top is...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #15: progress with wiring and misc. pics
Randy wants pics… so here they are…. not overly exciting at this phase of the game...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #14: stripped threads repaired & wings sanded
Got a couple hours in on the project today….. started by breaking out my 7 amp DeWalt and ...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #13: ways and arbor are ready
(I posted this as a response to an earlier entry by mistake, and am moving it here as a new entry...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #12: Top gets sanded
after clean up with evaporust…. Sanding with 150 grit sheet rock sandpaper (couldn&#...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #11: 2 steps forward 1 step back
Swapped out the damaged bearing and got the arbor assy back together tonight. Then I mounted t...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #10: Working on the Fence
Guide tube is rusty but straight Evaporust to the rescue Once again…. after c...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #9: Disassembled the arbor
Took the entire arbor bracket assy into work today and one of our maintenance mechanics helped me...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #8: Amazing what you notice when you clean something
I discovered that the front arbor bracket casting has a small area broken off the little bump ou...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #7: Houston, the Eagle has landed!!
One man, one dolly and one daughter to hold the doors and clear the way…. Progress !!!
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #6: Blog / project resurrection....
I finally knocked out several other (non-woodworking) projects and got back into my TS last night...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #8: calling it done.... almost
it’s off the bench and out of the shop :^) I still need to wrap the post with double sid...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #7: base and steps done
here’s the base (with my helper).... and the steps are put together… an...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #6: a little color and a little glue...
starting to look a little more like the model… Finally, I think this is the first gl...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #5: time to cut the parts
I’m in heaven since we upgraded our CNC table router ~ 2 years ago… The boss gave ...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #4: preparing files for the CNC router.
So far, all of the design work has been done as 3D solid modeling using Solid Works. Next, 2D ...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #3: Detailing parts and joints
Once the overall design is done… each of the parts needs to be detailed and the joinery de...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #2: modeling the new design
Being a low budget project…. I first had to take inventory of what I had kicking around...
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Kitty Condo - CAD/CAM primer #1: Kitty Condo - design process
Our 17 year old tabby cat went to the happy hunting grounds last fall, and we decided to console ...
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shop bench with lots of storage #12: finish flop
So I’ve been cranking on my top (1” MDF with laminate on both sides) .... > I mill...
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shop bench with lots of storage #11: risers done & top banded
We took the first day of a planned vacation and layed low trying to get everyone healthy…. ...
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shop bench with lots of storage #10: fabricating the risers and getting the beast off of my bench...
tweeked the riser design back to the four riser layout in the original plan…. this will dec...
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shop bench with lots of storage #9: 12 drawers installed
Been out of the loop for a while… took the kiddies up north for 4 days @ my MIL’s co...
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shop bench with lots of storage #8: finished the FF and started installing drawers
Because I’m looking for “skill builder” aspects to the project, I decided t...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #5: more progress on the top...
Doggy pool wasn’t big enough to submurge the main section of the top, so I had to sacrifice...
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shop bench with lots of storage #7: Face Frame done
Well, this is my first attempt at making a face frame…. but the way this design is set up,...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #4: second wing cleaned up...
not to shabby…. I took a putty knife to the blotches on the first one and they scrap...
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shop bench with lots of storage #6: ready for face frame...
the three drawer boxes are secure to the pedistle, the MDF “cap” is on, the melamine...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #3: first wing cleaned up
before and after the weird thing about this Evapo-rust stuff… is that no matt...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #2: mover over Barbie.... Evapo-rust is movin' in
So there’s two approaches for Evapo-rust… 1. submerge part2. for large parts, la...
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Jet cabinet saw re-hab #1: a new cener piece for the shop..... needs a little TLC
I posted about my good fortune scoring this early 80’s Jet CTAS10 with Biesemeyer fence and...
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shop bench with lots of storage #5: pedestal done
I got the pedestal put together… And here are the drawer box frames in position̷...
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shop bench with lots of storage #4: more progress
finished the last two drawers…layed out and spot drilled the drawer pull holes in the drawe...
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shop bench with lots of storage #3: Drawer Mountain is growing!
Ten done, one in clamps and one more to go after that…. I also got the drawer fronts...
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shop bench with lots of storage #2: progress on the drawers
It starts with a plan… I know their not super sophisticated, but with a few 1” pin n...
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shop bench with lots of storage #1: resurecting an old workbench build
I downloaded a CAD file for this open source work bench design ages ago, and set about scavenging...
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Father - Daughter Project #5: bread boards are done
Decided to do the groove in the bread boards on the router table with a slot cutter bit An...
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Father - Daughter Project #4: Top is looking good.... ready for bread boards
I plumbed a 4” dc line to a recycled funnel hood on the bench for use with hand held power ...
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Father - Daughter Project #3: Top glued up
Spent quite a while finishing up the top boards…. Planed them down in a batch to get exa...
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Father - Daughter Project #2: making some progress prepping the lumber
Status update… We’ve got eight 48” long boards done, and fortunately, only need one more. Tha...
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Father - Daughter Project #1: off to a good start
I promised my daughters I would build each one of them a hope chest some day. Well, my oldest is...
