Sometimes Weekly (almost) Blog
Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:22 pm
After more than a week of other than shop projects - finally got back into the wood shop. Yea! 
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Thought I'd post these three photos for a couple of reasons.
1) They show the OPR and the headstock both on the way tubes.
2) I finally got back to this "grills for vents project"
First 2 photos --- Not too long ago I was asked "how high can you raise the OPR table while the headstock is on the tubes?". At the time I answered 12" to 14" from the bottom. Well, yesterday I confirmed 12" is the correct answer. The photos show a 3 1/4" block beneath the carriage, and although not shown - there is 8" above the headstock to the tie bar.
It would be a bugger to lift like that without a "lift assist". It would be even harder to let down.
3rd Photo --- The grills have been a lasting project for me as I had difficulty in making a template. Had to re-make the template, as the first one was just too uneven (difficutly cutting a straight line on the scroll saw) and the narrower slots were less than 1/2" wide. Half inch (+) is needed for two reasons. -To fit a 1/2" router bearing into (for a roundover bit) - to fit the 1/2" strip sander belt into.
After all that, I found a "V" bit with a homemade smaller pin works better than a 1/16" roundover bit for softening the edges of the vent holes. So the need to accommodate a 1/2" bearing was gone - just the need to touch up with 1/2" sandpaper.
These vents will replace the plastic ones on the skirting of our mobile home. There are 17 of them (I think) If I replaced them with the plastic ones the purchase price would be $10 X 17 = $170.
For now I have 5 plywood vents. They need sealing. void filling, and painting. I'm thinking about switching to MDF, and wondering if that material would hold up for several years after being painted. I am thinking, if Nick builds a Appalachian chair out of this stuff, why not vent grills?
[ATTACH]4414[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]4415[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]4416[/ATTACH]
Thought I'd post these three photos for a couple of reasons.
1) They show the OPR and the headstock both on the way tubes.
2) I finally got back to this "grills for vents project"
First 2 photos --- Not too long ago I was asked "how high can you raise the OPR table while the headstock is on the tubes?". At the time I answered 12" to 14" from the bottom. Well, yesterday I confirmed 12" is the correct answer. The photos show a 3 1/4" block beneath the carriage, and although not shown - there is 8" above the headstock to the tie bar.
It would be a bugger to lift like that without a "lift assist". It would be even harder to let down.
3rd Photo --- The grills have been a lasting project for me as I had difficulty in making a template. Had to re-make the template, as the first one was just too uneven (difficutly cutting a straight line on the scroll saw) and the narrower slots were less than 1/2" wide. Half inch (+) is needed for two reasons. -To fit a 1/2" router bearing into (for a roundover bit) - to fit the 1/2" strip sander belt into.
After all that, I found a "V" bit with a homemade smaller pin works better than a 1/16" roundover bit for softening the edges of the vent holes. So the need to accommodate a 1/2" bearing was gone - just the need to touch up with 1/2" sandpaper.
These vents will replace the plastic ones on the skirting of our mobile home. There are 17 of them (I think) If I replaced them with the plastic ones the purchase price would be $10 X 17 = $170.
For now I have 5 plywood vents. They need sealing. void filling, and painting. I'm thinking about switching to MDF, and wondering if that material would hold up for several years after being painted. I am thinking, if Nick builds a Appalachian chair out of this stuff, why not vent grills?