Going to Build

It seems everyone has a different method for storing his clamps. For too long, I have kept my clamps in a mishmash of ways in various parts of my shop. I have never liked it and decided to organize them this week.

My biggest problem was finding space for them until I had the revelation that there is unused space behind my door. Its not very deep — a little over six inches — but perfect for clamps.

If you would like to try (or modify) any of the clamp racks I came up with, here are plans:

SketchUp file

PDF version

In case you are thinking about making an advent calendar, well, theres only two days left of November. But a couple people sent over their versions.

Davide Righi from Italy made this clever calendar from MDF and cut out plywood discs. Each disc swings on a screw to reveal the prize.

Heres my completed cajon. It really sounds good!


*****

Mere Minutes

Rubbing out that lacquered finish. Heres a simple technique I like to use.

Over the course of spring break i learned what the general safety rules for our shop as well as any shop meant when they said to tie your hair back TIGHTLY. I stress the word tightly here for good reason. Last Wednesday my co worker and i were breaking out some investment using a power drill. Because the Batt was still hot i had to hold it with kiln gloves and routinely douse the bit with water while he broke out the investment. While he was working the drill i decided to get in just a little too close and take a look at the bit. Thats when a loose strand of hair got caught in the drill and it started to pull more hair in with it.

This is the result:

A stylish new look for summer that just screams i want to start middle age early! Were not just talking red Ferrari and new girlfriend middle age were talking pious and chaste.



Anyway the point here is follow the safety precautions. More importantly, after working for a long period of time its easy to get comfortable and even caviler with what you are doing, thats okay, but you should always stay focused on whats going on in front of you. I notice my mind wandering to other things all the time when working on projects, especially on the repetitive aspects that Ive done a thousand times over, thats when accidents usually happen. This is mostly redundant information but i felt it would be an appropriate blog response. I couldnt find the schools shop safety rules on line so i just looked up some general shop saftey rules on google:

GENERAL SHOP SAFETY RULES
1. You must don safety glasses, cover goggles, or face shields
before entering the shop.
2. Shoes must be worn in the shop. No one wearing sandals
will be allowed to enter any shop area. The minimum
footwear must cover the entire foot.
3. Do not operate any equipment unless you are familiar with its
operation and have been authorized to operate it. Questions
regarding the use of equipment should be directed to the shop
supervisor.
4. No work may be performed using power tools unless at least
two people are in the shop area and can see each other.
5. Use the shop vacuum cleaner to remove chips. Never use
compressed air guns to clean clothing and hair.
6. In case of injury, no matter how slight, report it to the shop
supervisor. The campus emergency phone number is 9-911.
7. Contact with harmful chemicals should be reported
immediately Notify campus rescue at 9-911.
8. Machines must be shut off and locked-out before servicing.
9. Do not wear ties, loose clothing, jewelry, gloves, etc. when
operating shop equipment and tie back long hair.
10. Wear appropriate clothing for the job (i.e. do not wear short
sleeve shirts or short pants when welding).
11. Do not work in the shop if you are tired, or in a hurry.
12. Never indulge in horseplay in the shop areas.
13. All machines must be operated with all guards and shields in
place.
14. Do not use your bare hands to remove chips and shavings
from the machine, use a brush or hook.
15. Never use a rag near moving machinery.
16. Do not strike a hardened tool or any machine with a hammer.
17. Practice cleanliness and orderliness in the shop areas. Use
the shop vacuum cleaner. Clean-up before you leave!
18. Keep the floor around machines clean, dry and free from trip
hazards. Do not allow chips to accumulate. Use the shop
vacuum cleaner.
19. Think through the entire job before starting.
20. Before starting a machine, always check it for correct setup
and always check to see if the machine is clear.
21. Do not drink alcoholic beverages before or during a work
session in the machine shop area. Do not bring food/snacks
into the shop.
22. Don’t rush or take chances. Obey all safety rules.
23. If you have not worked with a particular material before,
check the materials safety data sheet (M.S.D.S.) for any
specific precautions to be taken while working with the
material. Also, ask the shop personnel before cutting any
unusual material.
24. Heavy sanding and painting should only be done in well
ventilated areas.
25. Follow all appropriate precautions when working with
solvents, paints, adhesives or other chemicals. Use
appropriate protective equipment. Review the M.S.D.S.
26. Check the condition of power cords and plugs on portable
tools before using them. Do not use a tool that has a worn or
damaged power cord/plug.
27. Always store oily rags in an approved metal container.

Dealing with cumbersome sheet goods is one of the least pleasant woodworking tasks, but something most of us encounter. A 4 x 8 sheet of plywood is very heavy and nearly impossible to cut on a table saw unless you have a really big set-up.

So the trick is to figure out a method to cut the sheets down to manageable sized pieces closer to the sizes needed for your project.

There are many ways to do this. Mostly you just need to figure out how to physically move the full sheet without breaking your back or worse, chipping the plywood edges! I like to cut plywood as soon as I buy it and use my truck as a workbench. After loading plywood into my truck, I rarely have to lift it again.

I then like to set up a straight-edge and make rough cuts, usually a half inch greater than I need, using a circular saw. I have also had success using a jig saw. The idea is to get the pieces small enough to square up on my table saw.

Here are the rip guides I use:

Empire Level 900 edge cutting guide
Kreg Rip-Cut
Accu-Rip

This video is my contribution to "Get Woodworking Week" over at Toms Workbench, a whole week of links and articles just for beginning woodworkers. Check it out.

*****

This is a lovely example of mid seventeenth century French Classicism. It is characterized by clean (masculine,)line, balance and formality. The movement back to classicisim was a reaction which grew out of the European Age of Enlightenment whos roots were in the Italian Rennissance. It was a return to the Classical formulae of ancient Greece. The Golden Mean etc. Its a far cry from Baroque, (which I absolutely cannot stand, way too overdone.) But like all art, one era reacts in the opposite direction to the present style. Picture Newton, Galileo and Descartes sipping Dom Perignon, invented by a French Monk at this time 1670s,) around fine pieces like this. (I prefer Christall, but that is another story.) Notice the greek column like leg, the beautiful symmetry and proportions. Golden Mean Baby- Squerl

on the week of zero1 there was a huge amount going on. On Friday I attended the symposium that was held somewhere at city hall. In the beginning it was great having to see fellow digital media and the likes there in the same room, but as the symposium went on and began on trying to concentrate on what they have to say to the audience I quickly lost interest. Not because it was not interesting, but because the "artist" or engineers and scientist that were talking was talking in very scientific terms and was in what i thought to be really communicating to their own kind leaving us the other people out of the loop. All I got out of the symposium was something about the climate clock that had to do with recording for a hundred 100yrs....and above all that the speakers at the symposium i thought to be very dry and technical.

Besides the symposium I got to work with an artist Stephanie Rothenberg with her art show, Best Practices in Banana Time....where she stages a talk show in SecondLife and at the same time in real life time. My job was to be the camera person in secondlife. At the same time while preparing for Stephanies show I was also participating with digital medias red cross project a few of CADREs student which includes me decided to showcase the red cross backpack at the zero1 fair. Our job was to fix up the red cross backpack and getting it ready for Zero1 street fair. Even though the symposium was not what I would hoped it to be, but over all i had an amazing experience and I am very grateful to be apart of something special.

I have a lot of drill bits. Mostly, they are all over my workbench and I always have a difficult time finding the one I need. I have several cases and containers: the ones that came with various bit sets, but they are mostly empty. After years of drill bit madness, I realize that the reason they are so disorganized is that the cases and holders demand too much organization.

They are flawed because they require me to replace bits into specific holes depending on their diameter. Too much pressure!

I designed this case to hold drill bits based on their general sizes. There is no need for organizational madness.

Wont they get dull this way? While I wouldnt store router bits like this, I dont think it dulls drill bits much. Plus, I dont plan on shaking them around for extended periods. Ive been sloppy with drill bit storage for years and can confirm that even the ones I have abused the most still make holes. Not to mention, I dont buy expensive drill bits. If one gets too dull, I will buy a new one.

The only part of this box I am not completely satisfied with is the latch. I just hobbled together various hooks and eyes from my parts drawers. It works, but isnt very pretty. But it is just a shop project. Not like anyone other than me will ever see it. I did add some fancy inlay which was quite unplanned.

Free plans:

• WWMM Drill bit case (pdf)
• Sketchup file

Well sure, who doesnt need a toothpick holder?

Seriously, this was a fun little project to make and gave me an excuse to fire up my old scroll saw. The idea here is that when you pull the clown up, the toothpicks pop up and his hands pop out.

I almost decided to eliminate the springing hands because I couldnt figure out how to accomplish the effect. Im glad I stuck with it because really, the spring-loaded arms are the whole point of the project. They are what make it unique.

The solution came in two parts. 1) A spring from a ballpoint pen, and 2) 1/4" drip irrigation tubing. If I could make a point here, it is to never abandon your ideas. Sometimes it may take a while to figure out how to accomplish something, but in the world of woodworking, anything is possible. Just stick to your guns and solutions will come to you.

Same goes for designing projects themselves. Allow your imagination to lead you. The logistics will follow. Start with your right brain then let your left brain kick in.

Peace! Zenwoodworking guy is OUT!

Heres my clown template (with hands) if youd like to download it for this or any other purpose. (pdf format)

Well, the Shaker table is now complete and ready for sale! As I mentioned in my previous post, I used 3 coats of a Tung Oil finish followed by thinned coats, about 1-2 lb cuts of shellac; I used about 3 coats on the main part of the table and 5 coats on the top. The shellac was rubbed out with 0000 steel wool and paste wax. I think the oil does a nice job of revealing the stripes in the tiger maple. I know a lot of people like to use a dye to do that, but I think oil works great, its simple and more natural. As this is cherry, the piece will get darker over time and with exposure to sun. So, here it is!

test your ability to eyeball angles, points and distances.

I found this via Core77 and gave the game a shot, its actually pretty fun. My score was a 3.68, gonna give it another shot in a bit (with a real mouse). Let me know how you guys do?

Also check out the rest of this guys site, apparently hes a big woodworking buff and he has soome great tutorials on joints and fun woodworking projects available.

We are all creative.

Its one of the traits that elevates us above other species. A beaver builds structurally sound dams because that ability is hard-wired into its brain. No beaver will ever shatter the dam-building community by devising a new, innovative method of construction. The same holds true for the spider that spins beautiful geometric webs, yet cannot deviate from the design plan that she has been working with throughout eons of evolution. Each of these creatures create, but they are not creative.

As you know, I love to cook, and I think I understand why: its not so different from woodworking. Each require a simple understanding of the basics, but from there, its all about creativity. No two dishes will taste alike, and no two woodworking projects will look alike. We challenge ourselves by combining an infinite number of ingredients and techniques to to produce a finished product that we have envisioned. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. But we gain knowledge and experience from our mistakes and apply them to our next project.


Design precedent 

Recently, an anonymous poster implied that you cant call a project your own if you follow an existing design. This is not only nonsense, but historically ignorant. All designs are influenced by the designs that preceded them. The unique thing about being human is that we can modify and even enhance precedent. The ancient Greeks created beautiful Doric columns in their architecture and that led to an Ionian style. The Romans were able to take these established designs and create ornate Corinthian columns.

Master chefs are building on centuries of experience. There are a finite number of edible products available on this planet: its how they combine them that makes their dishes original. Woodworkers do not live in vacuums: we create based upon a body of human experience. How we choose to combine our materials and techniques is how we claim our projects. If we were beavers, all our bandsaw boxes would look alike. Well, thats a silly metaphor, but you get the idea.

Are you creative?

The most ridiculous statement I sometimes hear people say is, "Im not a very creative person". Of course you are! Creativity is in your DNA. We are too quick to assume that creativity lies only in artistic pursuits. Issac Newton crushed the establishment with scientific creativity. Martin Luther shook the medieval religious establishment.





Never let anyone tell you he isnt creative. Thats like telling people they have no opposable thumbs. If you envision something to make, pick up a board and sever it with a saw, you are not just creating; you are being creative. If you download a turkey recipe, you are following centuries of tradition by making it work for you. If you download a woodworking plan or try to duplicate something someone else made, it will be yours. Perhaps you will select different woods or joinery techniques. Maybe you will employ the structure from one project and the finish from another. No two projects will ever look alike.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner everyone and rest assured that it was unique.

These are items I have created and built in my basement workshop. I make all my items out of recycled pallet wood. This is my version of a Mechanics Tool Box.

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After seeing the cute-as-a-button ruler box that Layla Palmer at The Lettered Cottage included in her beautiful spring mantel, I knew I just had to make one for myself.  It only took about an hour and cost around $3 since I already had most of what I needed.

To start, I determined the size I wanted the box to be.  I decided on 14 inches in length and 3 1/2 inches in depth.  I took a yardstick that I already had from Lowes and cut two 14 inch long pieces from it using a saw.  For the bottom of the box, I picked up a piece of pine craft wood at Lowes measuring 1/4 inch in thickness and 3 1/2 inches in depth x 36 inches in length for around three bucks.  Using a saw, I cut it to match the same length of the two pieces of yardstick I cut earlier.  I attached the two yardstick pieces to the top of the flat side of the craft wood using wood glue and let dry.  This is the front and back of your box.  Be sure to wipe off any excess glue.

For the end pieces, I measured the distance from the inside of the yardstick pieces and cut accordingly to make the two ends using the remainder of the craft wood, attaching with wood glue.  Tip: always measure twice and cut once!  I did the same for the two divider sections inside the box.

After letting the box dry, I sanded off any excess glue residue.  I wanted the box to have an aged, imperfect look to it so I mixed together a couple of stains that I already had, Minwax Gunstock and Special Walnut, using an old rag.  Voila!  An adorable little ruler box that makes me smile!  Im still new to the blogging world so I apologize for not having photos of each step in the process.  Oops!  I promise to have plenty of photos of my next project.  Stay tuned for my side porch redo before and after photos!  Have a great day all!

One day this past week a kind elderly lady was visiting our shop.  She was quietly sifting through a crate of old Christmas ornaments, taking such care in each one that she picked up.  After a few minutes, I noticed she was smiling, with tears in her eyes, and she seemed quite taken with one of the ornaments she had picked up.


Softly, she told me that the ornament was just like one that she had as a child and it recalled for her such wonderful memories of Christmas with her family.  It brought her such happiness... 


It also made me realize that the happiness on her face and in her heart from finding that tiny little ornament is really what makes this journey of ours so meaningful and not just a business venture.

I really hope everyone that visits our shop is able to experience that happiness.....memories of kinder, gentler times are something to be treasured in our hearts and recalled often. 

Have a wonderful weekend.  :)

Diana