Weekly Blog - November 4th

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john
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:42 pm
Location: St. Lambert , Quebec

Weekly Blog - November 4th

Post by john »

Well, another mixed bag week.

First on the agenda was starting to get ready for winter. Did the semi-annual task of moving the seasonal stuuf, including 8 sets of wheels and tires, from the garden storage shed to the garage and reverse. Had to position the outddor Christmas decorations right in front of the shed door so they can be reached next month. Next task is to reorganize the garage so my WIFE"s car can be sheltered during the extreme days.

Started back on my CD cabinet and had dificulty with my router/table so the front edge was fouled up again. I was able to salvage the project by sawing off the small lip I was aiming for. However now it will be just another box. I must admit I'm not sure how to glue it all together as it has mitered joints and I only have one set of band clamps. These usually do for smaller boxes but the cabinet is six inches deep. Also, it has two dividers and I am not sure whether to try gluing everything at once or try to slide the dividers in last. Suggestions would certainly be welcome.

Also started two more bread knives. The craft show is one month from today and I have nowhere near enough stock so I guess I will have to step it up a notch.

I also finally got around to changing the blades on my planer and doing a bit of maintenance so I guess I will be set there for a while.

On the renovation side, the contractor failed to show so no progress there. He says he will be here Wednesday but that remains to be seen.

Chuck:
In a post this week you mentioned not being able to work with small pieces on the lathe. I mentioned that to the Cdn SS distributor earlier this year and he suggested extending the quill. I don't know if you have tried this, I know I haven't yet but will soon.

Have a good week!

John
charlese
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Location: Lancaster, CA

Post by charlese »

Golly I'm glad I don't have to get ready for winter anymore. I really enjoy the seasons we have. There's hot summer, then cooler summer, Tree color (in town) and dropping leaves, freezing nights and mornings followed by comfortable days, Then Spring where everything comes alive. I do drain the water out of the MH just in case.

Friday I finally cranked up my new HVLP sprayer. (Only $99 at Rockler) I was a little frightened as I have never used a sprayer before, and wasn't really sure of this inexpensive machine, although it had good reviews.

Hey! This thing works super!! Even with latex paint! Coated the shutter in minutes. Took longer to clean the sprayer than to blow on a half pint of paint. This took two coats on both sides to cover those places I had left bare for gluing and to put on a better finish than brush work. Photo attached. It fit the window. Wonders never cease! Only had to sand a little on one corner where the sheet-rockers rounded the corner.

Got the salt and pepper mills mailed and they have reached their destinations. The recipients are very happy with them.

Also attached to this post are pix of my cute little "EYE POD". It is really a box in a box from American Woodworker Mag. Although I showed the making of this in another post - I included that pix with this post again.

About turning short pieces, I was referring to earlier post where guys were making bottle stoppers and had a hard time fitting those short turnings between headstock and tail. They bought tail extenders to compensate. With the quill extended you can turn something as short as 3 inches. The problem here is the tail support may limit full movement of the stock tool rest - depending on the diameter of the turning. It's easier to turn a little extra length and make an EYE POD or something out of the rest.
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Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
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reible
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Location: Aurora, IL

Post by reible »

Hi,

We just got back home from our latest trip and wanted to check in. I see I will have my work cut out for me catching up on all the posts here.

I do however have one item that I wanted to present. Pattern cutting with the table saw. I don't know how many here have used this method or even know what I'm talking about.... anyway those that wish read on.

While visiting my older brother and catching up on things I found that his old table saw had the motor go out on it. A Rockwell from the early 70's if I recall , anyway the motor gave up and after having it checked over it was decided he would have to get a new one at almost $300! He decided to trash it. He then went to the Ace hardware store and paid less then $100 for a table saw. Yes you read it right, less then $100 and that was with tax.

The purpose of this saw is to set in his garage and help him make bird houses in the "off season", that being winter in northern WI. He has a RAS and other tools so this is not his only saw... but it sure seemed to be a bit too cheap for me to even imagine. It was made in a country know for its lead painted toys but since no one is going to be chewing on it that seemed save enough on that account. What I found was really much better then I would have thought... no it is not a shopsmith but it cuts wood.

This past summer my brother sold about 500 birdhouses. He plans to make at least 800 to a 1000 this winter! He uses scrap and or used wood he picks up so no cost for wood, they are normally cedar so no paint or stain needed. His investment was nails for less then $20 on this past summers birdhouses. The only thing left is labor costs.

This brought up the subject of how to make the bird houses faster and easier. This is when I mentioned pattern cutting on the table saw. Now my brother has been doing wood working longer then I have and has done the craft circuits, and many commerical ventures related to woodworking. He is also a machinest in the old sence of the word. But he had no idea of what I was talking about.

So I did an on the spot design and demo. He was impressed! Who knows he may be making 1200 birdhouses this winter.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about take a look at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12199425@N ... 921462063/

If you are lost as to how this works after looking at the pictures let me know and I will add some words.....

Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
dwevans
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Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:53 pm
Location: Delaware

Very Cool

Post by dwevans »

This is great for larger runs of the same object. I had not heard of this before, but I will be keeping this in mind for my next project that has multiple identical objects.

This is almost as good as a Pin router :D
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Ed in Tampa
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Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida

Post by Ed in Tampa »

charlese wrote:...
Friday I finally cranked up my new HVLP sprayer. (Only $99 at Rockler) I was a little frightened as I have never used a sprayer before, and wasn't really sure of this inexpensive machine, although it had good reviews.

Hey! This thing works super!! Even with latex paint! Coated the shutter in minutes. Took longer to clean the sprayer than to blow on a half pint of paint. This took two coats on both sides to cover those places I had left bare for gluing and to put on a better finish than brush work. Photo attached. It fit the window. Wonders never cease! Only had to sand a little on one corner where the sheet-rockers rounded the corner.
...
Chuck
Can you tell us more about this sprayer? How loud is it? What all does it come with? Could it spray thin liguids like water or shellac? Does the motor run all the time? Did you have any problems at all with it?
Etc.
Ed
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john
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:42 pm
Location: St. Lambert , Quebec

Post by john »

Chuck:

Good work! Your second picture of the shutters leads me to think you are a photographer as well.

I must admit you have me "puzzled" with the eye pod!

Have fun.

John
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