Weekly Blog - March 31st

john · Post by **john** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:14 pm

Well March came in with a snow storm and on today, the last day of the month, we awoke to snow falling. Not much but just enough to remind us that spring has not yet sprung.

It's been a bad week in the shop. First I tried to plane out the imperfections in my cutting board glue-ups and that didn't go well. In spite of using carrier boards on the sides, I still got snipe well before the ends and in my workpiece. In reviewing my planer manual, I suspect I have a problem with one side of the outfeed rollers. The other problem with the planing was rough pieces within the glue-up. I think this was caused by the grain in these pieces running the opposite way and the knives were chipping the grain out. In the end the boards were 1/4" thinner than planned and still required lots of sanding for a smooth surface (that's not done yet).

Then I really messed up. The next step was to cut dados in the ends of the boards to receive an alternate wood for handles and appearance. I had made a jig to make this easier but part way through my first cut, realized that in my haste, I had forgotten to use a zero clearance throat plate. It became obvious that if I continued, my wood would catch as it reached the end of the dado plate opening and all hell would break loose. Because I was using my left hand to guide the piece through, I didn't think I could safely shut off the SS so using both hands, guided the piece through without incident. Needless to say the dado was not as it should be, as can be seen in the attached photo.

Now that board, which is supposed to measure 8' x 12" will be two inches shorter than planned. If I choose to continue with it I will also have to adjust the width as well.

Today I hauled out a piece of 1/2" baltic birch plywood and started laying out patterns for a few zero clearance plates.

I might have to switch to the wine rack to allow a cooling off period.

Other than that, I seemed to spend more and more time on the internet as I discover more and more WW sites and videos. Saw Nick's video on stacked featherboards (great idea), some Youtube videos on seting up the SS (from the U.K. I think), and the Woodwhisperer. Interesting young fellow. And then of course there seems to be more and more posts right here, which is good!

Have a Fun and Safe week!

John

jim · Post by **jim** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:07 pm

I wish I had a dollar for every dado I've hosed up over the years.

Eventually, you just have to break down and make the inserts and a good jig. Ah well. There's always tomorrow.

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:10 pm

Hi, John, first I must say I enjoy your Blogs. Please keep them coming. It reminds me that that perfection is a goal, probably never to be achieved. We too had a teasing of summer last week, with the grandkids in the pool. It's supposed to rain tomorrow. As for the cutting board, have you thought about a set of trivets, or a group of coasters. Remember it is never so much a mistake as an artistic deviation. Enjoy.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:15 pm

My Goodness! Your whole week was not the best! - That's for sure!
I can't help with your weather or the planer. The sled should have worked to eliminate snipe. I suppose you had the sides extending about 5 or 6" past the rear of your board. Just don't know how the snipe happened. However, I agree that sanding sounds like your best bet from here, if you want to save the piece.

In another thread you said we would see a surprise in this week's blog. Well, I sure did! We both are glad that you did not receive any injuries. As I was reading, that horrible thought came into my mind.

I think I can help a bit with your end "dado". What I'd do is to saw off the narrower side and trim up the thicker side (looks like the left side in your photo). I'd use a vertical jig - like a tenoning jig (used with a table saw) - clamp your piece firmly to the jig and straighten the inside of the "dado" with the saw blade. From there, you can make a piece (like a heavy half lap joint) to make your 'handle edge'.

You said you used a dado blade to saw that deep groove. Wow! - looks like it is over three inches deep! I didn't know dado blade went that deep! Can't help but think a saw blade with multiple passes using a tenoning jig might have worked better. You could use a chisel to smoothe the bottom of the groove. A cut like that should be clamped to the jig - no hand pressure required, except on the jig! Are you working from a plan? How did they make that cut?

Well my week went a bit better. made progress on my daughter's end tables. Both table bases (frames) are now sanded and glued up. Now on to the tops, the drawers and the shelves. Here is a photo of one glued up base, a side of the other (before gluing) and a look at a thru tenon. The white spots are stickers, used to identify pieces and their locations for assembly. This is the first time I tried thru tenons. When I reached the 16th I was finally getting the fitting process figured out.

[ATTACH]1195[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]1196[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]1197[/ATTACH]

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:53 pm

Hi John,

I too, was thinking that a tenon jig would improve a dado cut like yours.

Chuck,

I sure like your work. If you are anything like me, you have a few pieces laying around from a project like that ready to recycle into another project; you know the ones, they are now too small to use in their intended places.

pinkiewerewolf · Post by **pinkiewerewolf** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:01 am

John, another fine Blog Thread. I admire a person who shares their "challenges" with other enthusiast because I learn more from those than when I am admiring a finished product.
I have a 14' length of 12" wide poplar that is awaiting another project.

kd6vpe · Post by **kd6vpe** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:13 am

Charlese,
Another fine piece. I can't wait to get as talented as you. Time time time. I almost have my first piece finished. I have it dry fitted but now the sanding has to happen. Once there I will post pics. I had to do dado cuts and ended up making a jig. Some of my first are real goobers but once the piece is put together you won't see them. Tenoning is real hard at first. Thanks again for sharing.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:37 am

john wrote:... Then I really messed up. The next step was to cut dados in the ends of the boards to receive an alternate wood for handles and appearance. I had made a jig to make this easier but part way through my first cut, realized that in my haste, I had forgotten to use a zero clearance throat plate. It became obvious that if I continued, my wood would catch as it reached the end of the dado plate opening and all hell would break loose. Because I was using my left hand to guide the piece through, I didn't think I could safely shut off the SS so using both hands, guided the piece through without incident. Needless to say the dado was not as it should be, as can be seen in the attached photo....

John

John
Over the last week or two we have had a discussion about on off switches and mounting them so we could turn the machine off with our foot, ankle, leg whatever. You sure made a case for going out and doing just that.
Had you had a bump off switch, the minute you realized your mistake you could have used your leg and bumped of the machine and recover and do the cut right.

john · Post by **john** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:43 pm

Thanks for all the comments and feedback. I sometimes wonder if I should share some of these "adventures" with so many real craftsmen out there.

Gary:

Thanks for the suggestions. I was wondering what I could do if I decided not to charge ahead, just to prove I could.

Chuck:

The dado is 2" deep and yes I was following a plan. It called for a jig which I made but not clamped as a tenon jig would be. Maybe I should go back and check it out. The depth did challenge the SS but it ate through with a slow feed. Next time, if there is one, I will take shallower cuts. That's a good idea for the handles. I was considering changing the design and this would save the size of that piece.

That's another fine looking project you have going. However, obviously it wasn't done on that "too clean" machine in the background.

Have fun.

John

jim · Post by **jim** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:15 pm

kd6vpe,

I watched your youtube shop tour and the shelf you have under your 510 caught my eye. Couldn't see it very well in the video, is that just a wire rack type shelf?