Weekly Blog - July 6th

john · Post by **john** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:29 pm

Well it's a little early this week but as of tomorrow, I am on vacation though we will return home on Monday to pick up the grandkids that arrive from Niagara Falls this coming Sunday. Since it is only an hours drive to Alburg, Vermont, we will probably be back again to mow the lawn, pick the garden, etc,.

It's been a pretty productive week in the shop as I finished the doll cradles and they have been delivered. Also cleaned up the shop, cleaned, waxed and lubricated the 510, and as per posts on this site, greased the upper wheel bearing on the band saw.

I am still looking enviously at the SS accessories catalogue for things I might want to purchase and have recently focussed on the Kreg SS bandsaw fence. Does anyone have experience with this item, is it worth the extra dollars? The extra sawing width is attractive to me as I often use the BS to rip smaller pieces but often they are over the 4+" width of the regular fence.

My wish list is into several hundred dollars now but I don't know how much further into the hole I can go, but one can dream, can't one?

Have fun!

John

alancooke · Post by **alancooke** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:36 pm

John,

I don't have any experience with the Kregg bandsaw fence but I have been looking at it also. Also like you, I'm trying to narrow my wish list down with just a few days left before the end of the sale. My problem is I'm on vacation also and I've just dropped $500 in the last 2 days on old tools in the PA area. I got several good deals on some Stanley planes and 2 great deals on planes in mint condition w/ original boxes! Also a Starrett 24" straight edge for $4.00 and Starrett 6" combination square for $10.00. I just couldn't pass those up along with a handful of other misc. stuff. Florence, SC isn't exactly brimming with old tools so PA is like tool heaven to me:)

I'm ready to get back home,though, and work on my rocking horse before going back to work!

Have a great vacation!

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:00 pm

I purchased it just before my kitchen remodel started. I hope to start using it after July 19th, now I am enjoying Cabo Mexico.

john · Post by **john** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:56 am

Sounds like this is vacation time for a lot of people. As advertised, we just got in from two rainy, boring days at the cottage. As I said to my beloved yesterday, " if I was back home I could be working on more doll cradles". We will head back down after luch with a total of four grandchildren, two young ones and two teenagers. That ought to liven things up a bit and keep grandma busy.

Alan:

Glad to hear you scored on some tools. i'm not into hand tools but have always admired them. Just not too handy with them, especially planes. I hope we will be seeing pictures of that rocking horse when it is finished.

Paul:

That is some project you have taken on. I seldom try these extensive projects any more. Seems like I take too long and "somebody" gets upset.
Good luck with it.

Have fun All!

John

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:32 pm

It's been hot here for the past week. 113 as the high. It is cooler today at 96. The A/C will keep the shop down to 81 during the hottest days. The good thing we have been having with temps is - it gets down to the 50s or 60s at night. The other day the fluctuation was 53 degrees in a 24 hr period.

Have finally finished the new router fence for my folding table. Happy it was made entirely from scrap stock. (Picture below.) Didn't mind the time taken on this, because it is something that will be re-used often. Works very well - better after it got waxed. The dust collection on this model is Stupendous!! Made a couple of shop made feather boards, but they were too stiff for me. So sawed a groove in a scrap and mounted the Shopsmith feathers. Has anyone noticed that the miter slots in the SS are the exact size of 29/32" plywood? Since my wobble dado was already set at that measurement, it was a pretty quick groove to saw.
The dark strip on the left side of the fence is a cutoff from the band saw. I used it as a shim. It is carpet taped to the fence.

The second picture is of the 40+ louvers routed over a three day period. Board sorting, thickness planing and ripping ate up the rest of the time.
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paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:37 am

john wrote:Paul:

That is some project you have taken on. I seldom try these extensive projects any more. Seems like I take too long and "somebody" gets upset.
Good luck with it.

Have fun All!

John

You misunderstand all I am doing is writing the check:) I have hired professionals to do the work. There are two kinds of people those with more time than money and those with more money then time. Luckily or unluckily I am the second. Woodworking to me is a hobby.