Shopsmith Forums

I started a new project today. I'm working on knickknack type shelf that my oldest brother use to make. I'm sure he had plans from somewhere or other but I've never been able to find any online or in any of my old woodworking books or magazines. He was wheel chair bound and did most of his wood working on setting back on on his feet and knees it is amazing all that he was able to build right off the floor of his shop.

When my other brothers left for the air force I was still a young person but he enlisted me in his projects, and we both had our frustrations but he was more then likely the one that got me interested in woodworking. So this is rather an honor making one of his projects that he built and sold road side.

However when my Aunt died a couple years back she had left instructions for me to receive an original and the only one we know of one in existence. Seeing as how they were made in the mid to late 1950's it is interesting that even this one survived. He sold a lot of them but who knows where they all ended up.

My oldest brother has been gone more then 40 years and I along with two other older brothers are still kicking. Since I was the one to receive the shelf I had decided I would make copies for each of my brothers. To that end I needed some stars. That was today's part of the project.

I designed the stars in sketchup and then cut them with the SO. I needed 4 larger stars and two smaller. Well it is a start.
Ed

Very impressive tool and nice project. You were smart to get on the early run of that tool. Apparently there is a long pre order list now !
Paul

masonsailor2 wrote:Very impressive tool and nice project. You were smart to get on the early run of that tool. Apparently there is a long pre order list now !
Paul

The web site currently says the pre-order window is closed and you can sign up to get an email when you can order again. I got mine on the second pre-order batch like Ed. I guess they can't make them fast enough.

While I saw stars yesterday it was a moon today. I only got time to do one but I learned a few things while doing it so the next one will go faster and unless something on foreseen happens I should get the second one cut tomorrow and move on to the shelving pieces. I used the jig I made for the shopsmith but the part was not a good match size wise. I have a bunch of 20" x 20" pieces of plywood but I really needed something wider or added some extra support on the edges. I'll do that tomorrow.

Sorry the picture is so dark, it rained most of the day then it finally stopped I tried to take advantage and cut one of the moons out. By the time I was done it was dark out. Not a problem for the SO but not so great for the picture.
Ed

More progress today. I cut up some strips which will be the "stairs".

I then cut them to length using the miter saw. I have my zci top on and wanted to point out how I do soft stops. Since the cut in the top shows where the cut will happen, and I have not changed blades or did any adjustments the location is very accurate. It is then quite simple to put down some painter table and use a tape measure to mark the locations on the tape. In this this there were three lengths. Just align the end of the work piece to the mark on the tape and cut. You would do better with a hard stop but somethings don't require that much precision.
Here are all the parts cut out for two of them. Sanding, perhaps a bit of filling on some open knots and then marking for assembly. Getting closer.
Ed

Today's progress, it was time to put things together. Here is shot of me locating the upper shelf, parallel to the lower stair case. This is an old drafting tool, parallel rulers in use for yet another purpose.
After locating all the parts, including the stars the trial assembly was complete for one of them. Have to do the second one before I take things apart for final filling, sanding and painting.
My brother did several designs of these and this pretty much duplicates the one I have. Had to make the moon smaller to fit the plywood I had on hand but only by a little. Likewise I had to reduce the length of the shelves just a little. The large star is the correct size and since I didn't have a smaller star I had to guess.

I have a post on this somewhere here that I will try and dig up but here is a picture which I believe I posted but it shows a similar moon on the ground to the right.
Ed

Here is a link to my original thread on this:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/gener ... 10130.html

Ed

Finished these up today. Still have to decide on a hanger for the back but that is pretty minor.

Now that the wife has seen them she wants one with a blue moon..... I guess I have another one in me.
Now I can plan my trip up north to deliver them.

Ed