Repairs and clamping jigs

   

  This squirrel has stood in a bird bath since I was a teenager. The other day I was visiting my friend to find the squirrel's base had collapsed from years of the freeze/thaw cycle, and was laying on its face in the bird bath.  Of course, I decided I could and would repair it.

  In my shop are many non-woodworking resources for making repairs.  Needless to say I have a large plastic jar of Portland Cement .  I put the squirrel in an appropriate plastic container, mixed up the cement and created a new base.  A simple repair that is possible because I had the basic tools and ingredients at hand.  In my shop are two shelves filled with plastic and glass jars and other containers in all shapes and sizes.  This selection of containers enables me to mix, sort and store all sorts of things in all sorts of sizes and shapes. I also have a couple of shelves of cement, various filler, glues, grouts etc. 

  Then.....when a little repair something comes along shazam, I can do it with no effort at all. Since it takes no effort, it gets done.  Often little repairs are ignored because it is too much trouble to go out and buy the two small ingredients to make the repair.

  

   I am working on another side table.  This table is being made from oak and being glued with Gorilla Glue.  This table is being built with glue joints only, no metal fasteners at all. This type of construction is only possible given the tremendous developments in adhesive science in the last few decades.  The frame for the top of this table has mitred corners and so clamping critical.  I made the red corner jigs a few year ago, use them often.  With careful clamping and quality glue the mitred corners are strong enough.  I have a 1/4 plywood top I will drop into the top and once that is done it will be solid enough without having to re-enforce the joints.

  You can see Bessey clamps and a yellow handled No-Name clamp in the photo. If you are buying clamps for your workshop....cheap clamps are not good value.  The yellow clamps slip, and fall apart and remain in my shop only because I spent time riveting the heads on and filing the clamps so that the moving section will grip properly.  The time and aggravation spent out weighed the money saved, in my opinion.