Wishing Well project

[muncyjohn]

Not much but thought I would share since I couldn't resist getting free wood at work so the wife wanted a wishing well.

I did this project using mostly my new to me shopsmith, I think I
learned quite a bit on a not so important project and thought I would
share my experience.

1st off this was made mostly without plans except for figuring out
the angles and how big I wanted it.

Not all of my angles for the base came out exact BECAUSE I did not
plain the wood and it wasn't always flat with the table.... lesson
1... do at least 1 side. I did use the horizontal boring and used
dowels at each joint, I liked it! Gluing the joints and dowels was
ok then used my boat belts to hold them while setting up!

The ring layers are held together again using 4 dowels per layer,
here I used my portable drill and center dowel finders.

The roof supports were doweled using horizontal boring with 2 dowels
all the way through, doggone I love that feature after being limited
to a 3" stroke with my drill press.

The only screws/bolts used were to hold the roof post up, I might
just take them out now and use dowels there too! Only nails used
were my brad nailer for the cedar roof.

The well drum was made from 4" PVC with end caps made using my
bandsaw circle cutter, Ha.... 1st 2 didn't work quite right then I
read the book again and bingo next 2 fit like a glove. Somehow I
think this setup could be a little more solid and a way to set the
pin center length so that it can't move when I lift it to make room
for the wood or remove my circle. At any rate I still like it!

I did post a pic of this but it is not showing in the preview????

Just to let you all know that I can't wax my SS everytime I look at
it like some of you, this is due to the heavy coat of sawdust I keep
on it, I got this thing to use, not just look pretty!

[dusty]

Keep up the good work, John. The Wishing Well Looks Great.

You did say, every end jopint is doweled? You got more patience than I'll ever have.

It's OK not to wax everytime you look at it but keep it vacuumed out (the headstock) and lubricated well. I aim to do it once a month. I estimate that to be once every thirty uses (every weekday and Saturdays).

I wax about once a month and again any time something doesn't feel right (table top binds with stock, etc.)

[charlese]

Hi, John-
Nice project! Looks Well done too! (In spite of your modesty.) There is another thing you discovered - with success. That is for some projects, you don't need to square out all pieces and this rough method may even enhance appearance!

About waxing; I am siding with Dusty here. I run my Mark V some on every day of the week. Estimated at 250 days per year. The entire maintenance operation is done (about) monthly. However, some waxing and sheave lubricating is done more often. If I had to guess on machine hours per month it would be about every 25 to 30 hours. By entire maintenance, I mean vacuuming and blowing out dust (with motor running) checking belts, and tension of poly V belt, all lubrication and waxing. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/prod ... e_1_10.pdf

In the meantime, between monthly intervals, I will wax the table surfaces every time they get a little "slow". Experience has shown I can feel if the speed mechanism becomes a little more stiff (just a slight change). At these times I do appropriate maintenance (Waxing or lubrication - including a check of the grease on the speed control quadrant/worm gear).

The first year or so of my SS ownership, I didn't do regular maintenance other than when I thought 10 hours had passed by. Well- my memory proved to be poor and I suffered the loss of a speed control quadrant and the entire idler sheave mechanism. They just wore out from lack of lubrication. That will not happen again!

It is just that I don't want to pass up fully cleaning out the Mark V. So I write the date onto a piece of masking tape and stick it above the caution sticker on the upper left side of the headstock. When a month passes, I do maintenance and re-new the masking tape.

You don't need to wax daily, (that's kinda silly) but a new table will "soak up" a lot more wax and need re-newing more often than an older, well maintained one. You will find that working on a slick table is a lot easier, SAFER and will yield more accurate results than trying to work on a sticky surface.

[reible]

Hi,

If you already have a SS 510 w/most accessories why are you building a wishing well?? If I were going to build one I at least would have a bunch more shopsmith things to wish for!

Just kidding you a bit, the project looks great!

I still remember the wishing well that my Grandma had in the front yard back when I was a boy. I don't know why but I never built one. Come to think of it, sounds like a fun project, have to see if I can work that in my plans in the next few year.

Thanks for sharing.

Ed

[muncyjohn]

I want to thank you all for the comments on my project and the help on maintenance of this new machine.

This so called shop runs with one of those 3 hp grizzley dust collectors when I turn it on and a good air compressor to blow things off when I get around to it, I don't mind using a dust mask when I am turning or sanding but have been known to be real stupid at times by opening the garage door and run the air compressor without the mask blowing dust out for about an hour or so with the air hose.

Along the maintenance lines I do need to read the manual more for sure but when I first got my SS I did do a minor maintenance run through to get the speed control to work properly. first time i ever used a bandsaw and was frotunate to have my neighbor here when I wanted to change blades the first time to help me out without reading the book.... love the bandsaw

I hear you on the waxing when things don't slide and I have always used the Johnson's paste wax on my jointer, craftsman table saw and on my molder/planer when things didn't feel right but now I read on this forum about Topcoat and another product when metal touches wood... ?? anyone using these? and use J wax where metal touches metal, ie,... way tubes, heck I use silicone at work for metal to metal!

When I do use the wax I put it on with a steel wool pad and then buff it with a buffing pad till it shines thinking I have all the residue off, am I doing the wrong thing???? Fortunately I have never had a problem applying stain, danish oil, linseed or any other finish maybe because I always do a final sand that removes any wax or maybe because I never did wax enough to leave any residue.

Actually I did do this project just to get a good idea of what to expect from my shopsmith, I am happy with it! There are some things I may need to be more familiar with but that will come, the wishing well will soon be bringing me a speed reducer and a couple other toys for turning, then watch out to see what this thing can really do......

[Ed in Tampa]

I want to thank you all for the comments on my project and the help on maintenance of this new machine.

This so called shop runs with one of those 3 hp grizzley dust collectors when I turn it on and a good air compressor to blow things off when I get around to it, I don't mind using a dust mask when I am turning or sanding but have been known to be real stupid at times by opening the garage door and run the air compressor without the mask blowing dust out for about an hour or so with the air hose.

Along the maintenance lines I do need to read the manual more for sure but when I first got my SS I did do a minor maintenance run through to get the speed control to work properly. first time i ever used a bandsaw and was frotunate to have my neighbor here when I wanted to change blades the first time to help me out without reading the book.... love the bandsaw

I hear you on the waxing when things don't slide and I have always used the Johnson's paste wax on my jointer, craftsman table saw and on my molder/planer when things didn't feel right but now I read on this forum about Topcoat and another product when metal touches wood... ?? anyone using these? and use J wax where metal touches metal, ie,... way tubes, heck I use silicone at work for metal to metal!

When I do use the wax I put it on with a steel wool pad and then buff it with a buffing pad till it shines thinking I have all the residue off, am I doing the wrong thing???? Fortunately I have never had a problem applying stain, danish oil, linseed or any other finish maybe because I always do a final sand that removes any wax or maybe because I never did wax enough to leave any residue.

Actually I did do this project just to get a good idea of what to expect from my shopsmith, I am happy with it! There are some things I may need to be more familiar with but that will come, the wishing well will soon be bringing me a speed reducer and a couple other toys for turning, then watch out to see what this thing can really do......

John
First let me say nice job on the wishing well!

Now as far as waxes and protection. Living in humid, rainy, hot, tropical,near salt water Florida I have dealt with rust and rust prevention all my life. Johnson Paste wax is as good or better than anything else on the market.

You mentioned silicon and I already dragged out my soap box on that issue in another thread so I won't repeat myself but let me say silicon is nearly impossible to finish over. For that reason I do not use silicon on any of my machines.

One product no one mentions and I think should be considered is Penetrol by Flood products. An old timer many years ago told me about the product, he said they used it to protect the cast iron saw tables where he worked. Penetrol is a paint flow conditioner but it also dries to a very hard very thin protective layer especially on metal. It is also fairly cheap. I dip most of my hand tools, scales, and rules in the stuff and let them drip dry. For a test I coated an exposed metal area of my air conditioner condensor (outside unit) with penetrol. It had gone 5 years with no sign of rust when the unit was replaced for other reasons.

My grandsons were fixing something and left a pair of channel locks outside, I found them about a year later and there was no rust on them, I had protected them with penetrol.

The product will wear off so I usually use it on non wear area's. Like the lower bench tubes on a SS. Since the product does not effect the appearance of what it is applied to my tubes are bright shiny and rust free.

I have used it on Bandsaw and Jointer tables but for wear areas I like Johnson wax the best.

Ed

[muncyjohn]

Having been a former Florida resident I know what you are up against concerning rust so I appreciate your comments.

I may just try the Penetrol for the tables on my machines if I can find it, works for you should work me.

[Ed in Tampa]

Having been a former Florida resident I know what you are up against concerning rust so I appreciate your comments.

I may just try the Penetrol for the tables on my machines if I can find it, works for you should work me.

Penetrol is a paint conditioner and HD carries it as does Lowes.

What made you leave Florida to go to Pa? I was born and raised in Pa.
Ed

[muncyjohn]

Ed,
Thanks for the tip where to buy the Penetrol!

Was born and raised in nearby Williamsport, 1st wife enticed me to leave Fla., that was 40 years ago that I got rid of her and got married to a good woman and been happly married ever since! We have friends in Ocala that would like us to visit but it seems like everytime we plan to go something comes up that is more important, don't know if I could stand the heat anymore and I hate air conditioning!

John