Shopsmith Forums

idcook wrote:That’s awfully purty stuff there Dennis. Please expound.

These are from mattdownerdesigns.com. Lots of great stuff there, and this piece is probably my favorite.

Whenever I stumble across something beautiful on the web, I salt away a pic or a link in my "woodworking inspirations" folder. These then influence the tools, materials, and techniques that I invest in. At present, I have sufficient tools to build that table, I think. I am currently laying in hardwood materials as bargains crop up. Technique wise, I think I could manage it -- with some extra research and practice on those gorgeous butterfly joints.

So many inspirations ... so little time ..

Dennis, you work like me, give me a pic and I will formulate it into what I want/need. I currently "practice" new techniques on my shop projects. Example, inlays in my new work bench top!!! Or using a new to me joint for something, to use in a regular project later if I like it, I call it my "personal skill builder"!!!

rbursek wrote:Dennis, you work like me, give me a pic and I will formulate it into what I want/need. I currently "practice" new techniques on my shop projects. Example, inlays in my new work bench top!!! Or using a new to me joint for something, to use in a regular project later if I like it, I call it my "personal skill builder"!!!

Yep. Some would think that I'm nuts for over-building simple utilitarian stuff. But in most every case, I'm using it as a no-risk way to practice a technique, so that I'll be competent when I really need to be.

For example, I used some fairly fancy joinery to make a roll-around cart for my dust deputy and vac attachments. The joinery itself came out quite well -- I surprised myself with the precision that I could achieve with the Shopsmith. But the top and bottom panels were plywood, and I used some crap pieces that I had lying around. It was warped enough that I had to resort to pounding to force it into the nice rabbet-and-dado joints on the edge rails. Lesson learned -- no using more crap construction-grade plywood for building cabinets!

Ya even some better grade plywood is not the flatest!!!
When I made this latest work bench it did not have a rail under the top from each end, because it was only 5ft long top and was made from solid maple strips. The ends had the vertical legs going into end rails connecting the 2 legs under the top with T saddle joints. I made the top 6' long, out of 3/4" OSB with a store bought HD particle board bench top, 2'x6'x1 1/8" thick over the OSB, glued and screwed. I added horizontal rails under the top and connected them to the T saddle joint with a Tenon joint into it. IMHO i think it was a great idea and came out excellent.