Shopsmith Forums

Where do I find info on the correct way to clean and maintain the cast aluminum table on the Mark V 510?

cadman84 wrote:Where do I find info on the correct way to clean and maintain the cast aluminum table on the Mark V 510?

Search the forum for "video" if you want to purchase an excellent video, search "wax" if you want to read the debate on the best coating for the table. Of check out Nick's sawdust sessions where he has several maintenance topics.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Sawdust_Sessions.htm

Short answer wax the table after using a black/gray synthetic pad to clean it.

Thanks Paul, I found what I needed and then some!

Hi, Andy (cadman84)! - Would you mind posting a full picture of you avatar? It looks like a beautiful bassinet and cradle, I for one would like to see a bigger picture. Is this one of your projects?

Congratulations to both you and your wife on your new baby girl!

Hi Chuck, I have attached a few pictures of the first two pieces of what will be a four piece set for the baby’s room. Everything was made in my shop with my Mark V 500. These are the first real pieces of furniture I have ever built. I never had the time to dedicate to it until we finished and sold our old fixer upper home and moved into an almost new house. There were many arguments about the baby’s lungs growing up in a perpetual dust storm of sawdust and drywall dust. As you can see my wife won as always.

Piece #1 the cradle I made by taking a few basic dimensions from a plan in Wood magazine. The rest was based of a picture I found online and my imagination. I ended up using pivot hinges from Rockler and bed bolt covers from Horton Brass to make it rock and an old church key in a hole drilled in the end to lock it horizontal. I must say the most fun was the mortise and tenon connections at an angle. Since I have minimal experience I tested it by putting both our Beagles in it (about 80lb in total. Did I mention I work for a German Engineering company:) ) It passed the test with no problem. The project took me about 2 months of weekends and some nights after work.
I haven't taken my lathe duplicator out of the box yet so I opted for 1/2" thick by 3/4" wide stock rounded over for the slats. The wide openings between the slats were a conscious decision based on the cradle is only used with bumpers otherwise I would have followed the requirements for a crib.

Piece #2 The changing table came from going with my wife to BabiesRus and saying I can make that from some scrap and a sheet of plywood. I just did one of those it's about this deep by about that long and as my wife is 5 foot even everything I make ends up a bit shorter than they sell in the store. Since I had already purchased the plans for a crib from Rockler I incorporated the slats from the cradle around the top and the slats from the crib on the lower side sections.

Piece #3 is the crib. It's still in the shop dry fitted together. I think I can get one to two more months out of the cradle so I shouldn't have any problems finishing it in time. By the way the crib is one of those transitional beds that should last until she is a least a teenager I hope.

Piece #4 will be a dresser. We have an odd dresser that we are using until I finish this project so there is no pressure right now. Actually I haven't thought too much about it yet. I may try to incorporate the crib slats into the sides to tie everything together. I've never made drawers so I see more research in my future.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.
Andy

Beautiful pieces, Andy! I'm sure your daughter and wife will both enjoy them. Looks like Chuck's got company in the "craftsman" category.

Gary

Really nice work, Andy! I love the joinery and the well designed smooth curves throughout! Nice finish also! Very impressive - especially for an engineer. Now you'll have to start thinking about duplicating these things plus another dresser for your next bundle of joy!

Nice work Andy. Having a matched set of furniture is always nice, and the fact that you made it yourself gives you a great sense of accomplishment. Your children don't know how lucky they are.

The lines on the cradle are really immpresive. Congratulations on creating some fine furniture!

Thanks for posting the pictures it makes us all proud to see this quality of work and, at least in my case, motivates us to try to continue to improve our skills.

John