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Post your problem, mistake or glitch

2K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  splintergroup 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Post your problem, mistake or glitch and what you did to corrected it. Why reinvent the wheel if someone has found a work around already. Tell us your tips.
MINE and the most discussed in LJ,the CA/sawdust or Resin/color fill of cracks in turned objects.
 
#2 ·
My biggest problem (If you want to call it that) is that I don't get any shop time for a long while. I had fusion back surgery about 3 months ago, and it's pretty well got me knocked out of doing practically anything. So I don't have any mistakes or glitches at this time…
 
#6 ·
Today. Today was my glitch. Anything I sprayed turned to dog poo. I think I'm just going to go fishing.

Need a labeling system. It's not uncommon for me to switch between 6 different colors. So spraying wrong color happens.

- CWWoodworking
If you're spraying stain or dye (I use dye), the Critter is a godsend. Since it uses mason jars to spray from, you can switch to different colors in less than a minute. Just unscrew the current jar, screw on a jar of solvent (water for me) and spray a few seconds to clean. Then screw on your next color. Keep your jars labeled and you'll be all set.

Mason jars are an ideal storage vessel for dye and stain as it is, so with the Critter, there's no pouring back and forth, rinsing, etc. It uses so little air that even the smallest pancake compressor can drive it without a problem.
 
#7 ·
For my mistake, today I was spraying some dye onto a walnut drawer front for a client. There were two small spots about 1/4" across that weren't taking the dye. It was likely some glue that got on there during assembly, but a light sanding didn't remove it. So, I touched up the dye in the area with an airbrush and laid down two coats of lacquer. After the lacquer cured I used Mohawk brush tip markers to cover up the spots and blend them with the grain of the surrounding wood. Two more light coats of lacquer and they're gone. Even though I know the general area where they were, I can't find the repairs. I call that pretty good.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
Good job Rich. I had friend who made wooden gun grips for S&W. He became an expert at hiding flaws using lacquer paints. My current dilemma is that I made this little table and have another disk like the top but it is twice as big and I want it to match the little one but don't want to glue a bunch of walnut to make a 8 or 9" base for it. Any idea?

 
#12 ·
My mistakes are too numerous to count, but here's a recent one. I was dry fitting a chair when the back assembly fell over, hitting a wood scrap on my bench in just the right spot to cause this-

Wood Sleeve Grey Collar Rectangle


The fix was pretty straightforward, luckily the break was clean and there was no missing wood. After filling the break with glue, I placed wax paper on both sides then clamped it tightly between some clamp blocks.

Wood Table Composite material Automotive design Engineering


After the glue was dry I worked the repair area with a scraper and some final sanding and the repair was nearly invisible.

After staining and finish, the repair is all but invisible.

Wood Wood stain Chair Hardwood Varnish
 

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#16 ·
A big one was on our Murphy bed project. This was a multi month build. The night we decided to get it put together things were challenging, but going along…until we went to lower the bed and saw we had installed the handles on the lower half of the face panel (opposite of the correct location). How we got this so messed up…well, we had to disassemble a bit before we could access the screws to remove. Ended up installing knobs in the correct location and then had to fill the other 4 holes with some wax-type wood-filler product and then dabbed some stain. I can see it, but we have asked a few other people and no one saw the fix.
Brown Door Cabinetry Rectangle Wood
 

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#17 ·
Good save tungOil.

- mahdee

+1. Tung s pretty awesome.

- Rich
Thanks. I got lucky on that one that it was such a clean break. There was a significant amount of cussing involved as well. While it doesn't help with the problem, it makes me feel better.
 
#19 ·
Today. Today was my glitch. Anything I sprayed turned to dog poo. I think I'm just going to go fishing.

Need a labeling system. It's not uncommon for me to switch between 6 different colors. So spraying wrong color happens.

- CWWoodworking

If you re spraying stain or dye (I use dye), the Critter is a godsend. Since it uses mason jars to spray from, you can switch to different colors in less than a minute. Just unscrew the current jar, screw on a jar of solvent (water for me) and spray a few seconds to clean. Then screw on your next color. Keep your jars labeled and you ll be all set.

Mason jars are an ideal storage vessel for dye and stain as it is, so with the Critter, there s no pouring back and forth, rinsing, etc. It uses so little air that even the smallest pancake compressor can drive it without a problem.

- Rich
This particular f-up was paint. I have 4 dedicated rigs for 3 paint/1 clear. I love being able to switch between them in 30 seconds. Obviously the cost is the downside. Adding a color costs over 500$.

But I'm gonna look at the critter. I am just using a cup gun right now and cleaning in between. Use BAC stain from SW.
 
#20 ·
Good save tungOil.

- mahdee

+1. Tung s pretty awesome.

- Rich

Thanks. I got lucky on that one that it was such a clean break. There was a significant amount of cussing involved as well. While it doesn't help with the problem, it makes me feel better.

- TungOil
I saw your pic and cussed for you. In my retail days, I fixed a few of those. People leaning back and falling backwards causes that same break.
 
#21 ·
One day I managed to turn 3 bowls I was turning into funnels because I was too lazy to measure how deep I had cut so far so I guess my biggest mistake is not learning from them.

BRD, I like the offset dovetail. You should have put another on the other side to balance it out! Then you give it a name like the double offset sliding dovetail and say it was a special joint you invented. Just don't use the swear words you uttered in the name and no one will know any better. Hokieken invented a new joint now known as the sliding dumbass. I am hoping he will post pictures of it.
 
#23 ·
Wayyy to many to count 8^)

The most aggravating are mirror images, like shaped legs on the corners of a box. I often end up with four identical pieces before realizing my mistake. The only cure is to make four more of the mirror image and another box….

Not really "mistakes", more like mishaps, but I've been plagued with splintering and chip-outs while routing. Someone is smiling on me as 95% of the time I have found the wayward chip on the other side of the shop and have been successful in emergency reattachment surgery.
 
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