Making Dust

 Before Christmas I began work on this live edge coffee table:

 It got sorted out enough to use over the holiday but now it returns to the shop for more work and the epoxy crack filling.

  The table was smooth (ish) but not very flat. It dips down in the centre and is high on the long outside edges. There is as much as 1/4 inch of material in places to be removed before serious finishing.  The tool for removing that much wood is a plane, power makes it faster and easier. All the big names make a power planer, traditionally the tool has two 3 1/2 inch blades, spinning 20,000+ rpm.

 My power planer is not from a 'big' name.  I bought it at a wood show out of a clearance bin for $10.00.  It is too short, has an incredibly fussy two stage safety switch and appalling ergonomics, I would not recommend this tool to anyone, unless it was $10.00.  I can see why it was being heavily discounted and cleared.  If it quits working I will replace it promptly with a Makita, Bosch, DeWalt, Porter Cable or what ever.  I do not endorse or necessarily agree with everything said in the fore going article, but it is a place to begin your enquiries if you are thinking about getting a power plane.  I would never use a tool like this for fine work, but it is great for hogging material away and for smoothing rough end grain as long as you pay very close attention, it can plough a divot.

  When my Father quit woodworking I got some of his tools. My Dad only ever bought the heaviest most robust tools. He either (and often) did without or bought a tool with a lifetime's use in mind.  The 7 inch grinder I inherited weighs as much as a summer cottage. I have never replaced the 24 grit disk that came with it but.....man oh man it clears material nearly as fast as it makes my back ache.

   This grinder is a Sears Craftsman from 35 years ago.  That was when Craftsmen tools were a serious tool supplier. I can fill the air in my shop with a blinding dust storm in no time with this beast. If it quit I would replace it too, a 3 1/2 inch grinder is for other things. 

  Lucky thing I have a fairly large air filter in my shop.

cheers ianw

   

Flattening, Planing, Scrapping and Sanding

  The current project is a three legged stool using an ash round as the seat.

the half round marble table top is used as my 'flat' reference surface in the shop.
I found it put out as garbage by a neighbour one day, a real find.

  My Brother in Law cut down an ash tree a couple of seasons ago and generously gave me a dozen rounds of various sizes. The wood is  gradually getting turned in to cheese boards, clocks etc. This round will have three legs set in as a small side table/stool, plant stand.  The rounds were cut from the tree trunk with a chain saw and so are pretty rough. Even with skill and care a chain saw leaves plenty of marks on the wood.

   The  challenge is making the flat face smooth using a reasonable amount of time and effort.  Having now flattened several rounds I think I have arrived at the most efficient method.  

electric power planer.

 I bought this planer on clearance from a booth at a wood show a few years ago. It is fairly short and somewhat awkward to use but...it cost $10.00.  As a rule I don't use a power planer but for hacking away at end grain like this it works very well.  Once the face of the round is flattened somewhat,  hand scrappers are the next step.  Again the scrapper can be used aggressively but still controlled.  The final stage is random orbital sander time, 80 grit and up.

  The end grain planing leaves a pile of rough saw dust, not nice shavings.

   The legs are poplar 2 x 2's 14 inches long.  Initially, since the power planer was on the bench I used it to knock the corners off the legs before turning them on the lathe. Funnily enough the power planer was not the best tool for the job.

  Quickly I turned to using my jack plane to ease the  corners, and the result is much better for the shop's air, and as quick, in my opinion.  My Grand kids used to call the shavings feathers. They liked cedar feathers best, don't we all!

  It is quick, easy and quiet using a hand plane.

  It took about 20 minutes a leg to turn on the mini lathe, and sand ready to be set into the seat/top of the stool/table.

   Next, decide the leg angle, make a jig and drill the holes using my drill press. 

   Planning and set up will take longer than the job. 

cheers, ianw