Table Top Easel

  Recently I have been painting and drawing as well as working in my shop.  I began taking classes in drawing to help express (explain) my own designs.  After years of making and carving things from patterns only I needed to branch out.  What I discovered is that I like painting, for itself, not just a means to an end. 

  On Monday I finally got around to making a fairly large table top easel.  I made this easel large so that I can put it on my desk and paint while standing up as well as seated.  

  The first step was wood preparation,  

2 x 4 approximately 

 I began with pallet wood again. This is a basic project that suited soft wood.

Once the wood was re-sawn and planed it was fine for this job.

  The frame is a natural for pocket holes.  At 5/8 inch thick the wood is sturdy enough but light and required 1 inch Kreg screws and glue to hold it together.  

 

Gluing the cross braces onto the back legs brought out my lead weights.  I use these weights when a clamp will not reach.

You can see here that I have clamped the easel frame to my bench during assembly. Usually I work alone in my shop and try to mobilize things as much as possible while I work.

Using things like Pocket Holes is also much, much easier if you use the clamps that were designed by KREG .  Once the easel was screwed and glued together I knocked the edges off with sand paper and smoothed the wood to 120 grit.  The wood is left raw, this is not a project that needs paint or varnish in my opinion. If I made one for some else I would go the extra stage.

work surface is 23 by 24 inches.

  The completed easel has reclaimed hinges and reclaimed light chain in the construction too. The only thing that I had to buy was the piece of white foam core. I buy foam core 6 sheets at a time and use it to make patterns and for Grand kids craft projects.  To use the easel I will tape the art paper to the foam core, and when it  gets ruined I'll replace it with thin plywood. If I have some laying around.

  

fall colours are here. !

A Kreg Tip and an Organisational Project

  I found a quick  tip for an easy up grade to your Kreg Jig on  Pinterest  .  Being able to see the measurements and markings on a Kreg Pocket Hole jig is helpful for poor light and older eyes.

  We are doing our back from holiday/spring/every ten year cleaning and organising. We begin in our bedroom and bathroom.  

  A while ago I made a small box to hold my various bathroom tools, it was moderately successful.

  As you can see tall things fall over and small things fall to the bottom. It was time to make some small improvements.

  Now there is a place for everything, and every thing has its place.  This box is an up-cycled mandarin  orange box.  The added bits and pieces only require a bit of soft wood and glue.  I think this is one of those up-cycle craft type of project that could encourage people with a few tools to try or....a project for a young person.  

  Since I have a band saw I cut many of the shapes with rounded corners.  If I did not have a band saw the handle could have been cut with a back saw and just rounded with a chisel or sand paper.  

  In fact I have a box that I will up-cycle with only basic hand tools just to see what I can do.

  Successful up cycling is more about ideas and paint than it is about tools.

cheers ianw

Work Bench Up Grade

  I have been thinking and talking about up-grading my small work bench for at least a year.  The small bench in my shop is 24 x 48 inches with a couple of shelves underneath it. This small bench has been rebuilt at least twice, always from left overs and so it is always a bit wobbly and slightly out of square.

 The last time I replaced the top I used MDF and a piece not quite large enough and one edge was a bit ragged since the MDF sheet had be broken before I salvaged it. The result was as you would expect.

  After spending a few hours in the shop today, this is the bench now. I used a new piece of construction grade 3/4 inch plywood for the top.  It is actually large enough, and I used part of the off cut for the back board too.  I screwed the top down with self taping screws that are seated will below the surface and put the back board on with KREG pocket holes. Also I put a solid wood face on the bench, the first decent wood that has been used on the bench yet.( though it is still recycled from another project)

  The thing that motivated me to up grade (repair) the bench was my getting back into wood carving. I really like to have a small manageable space to work on small projects where I can leave them out and not have them in the way. Having two work stations means that I can have two projects on the go at a time, one large and one small. This suits the way I seem to work.

    

    The other motivator was finally getting the KREG Clamp Vises for the front of my bench.

You can see in the back corner
I also have a heavy duty bench clamp system,
the KKS-KLBKSYS. Another excellent bench clamp.

  I put two Clamp Vises on the front of the bench.  As yet I've not drilled the 3/4 holes for the supplied bench dogs, I'll drill holes where I need them, when I need them, that way I'll be sure the holes are in the right place.

  Here you see that the KREG Clamp Vise will my small Bessey Vise so that I will have excellent clamping and access for drilling and sawing when working on small carvings or other small projects. The Clamp Vise will also hold my Moxon style vise when I need to use it.

  Once I took the drawers out and dragged the bench into the middle of the floor, I took a hour or so to square up the body of the bench and made sure all the pieces were tightly screwed together.  Now it is pretty sturdy and should be a very good work space for carving, painting and other small projects.

  Just a foot note, I was told that the Kreg Clamp Vise was being discontinued so don't wait too long to buy one. 

   If I ever get things cleaned up I'll load a short video or some photos of my work space now that I'm happier with it.

cheers, ianw

An Odd Coincidence

 Even though we in Ontario set a record for the coldest February and I was just told that we set a record for being colder than the arctic for February, we have had some bright beautiful days. On those days it was nice to look out the window at the forest behind our house and look forward to the coming season.  We have done extensive work in our back yard since moving into this house and so the coming spring and summer should be glorious. So my thoughts turned to bird houses and bee hotels.

  Oddly enough Popular Woodworking posted a blog on bird houses. All that information about hole size and box size are talked about and there is even a preview of a video on bird house building.

 Last fall I published this photo of bird houses made by a local fellow and sold once a year at the Locke St. Festival.

  I have been thinking it is time for Kieran, Clara and I to make a couple more bird houses to put up in our back yard early this spring.

  It just seemed funny that bird houses seem to be on peoples minds just now.

  My next big project will be a small but heavy work bench.  I recently picked up two Clamp Vises by KREG  which I am going to put on the front of my bench at either end to act as a face vises for both ends of a board instead of having to make a deadman (lumber support).  The bench is going to be small, about 2 feet by 4 feet and I plan to weight the base down with sand or stones to make the bench very stable.

  I am gathering together materials at this point and the Clamp Vises are almost the last ingredient.  I'll keep you posted.

cheers, ianw 

Bench Top Clamping

  Tom at Tom's Workbench recently wrote a blog featuring the KREG KKS1110 Bench Clamp.

  Tom's post was entitled "Hold it Down" and in that post Tom showed another interesting twist on bench clamping. 

  He said that he got this idea because he didn't want to cut into the top of his lovely bench. As you can see I do not have a lovely bench, nor do I have any qualms about cutting it's top. 

   My bench's top is 1 1/2 thick plywood and occasionally I sand and fill the rough bits and paint it. Actually it is in pretty good shape currently. I have an less damaged bench for finer wood work but this is the Clydesdale of my wood shop, it does all the heavy lifting.  These are a selection of the various bench top appliances that I have acquired over the years.

Lee Valley Wonder Pup

Lee Valley Bench Blade

hold down made by Daniel Linkenheld 

  Turns out I have an extra plate for my KREG KKS1110, so I think I may follow Tom's example and make a movable clamping point as well.  I would screw it to the bench top if it served my purpose, I can hear the groans of  the bench lovers as I type.  It is not a bad idea to have an extra insert plate or two for custom clamping. 

KBK-IP

  I don't abuse my tools, or bench, I just make them work hard.

Kreg Multi-Mark

Kreg Multi-Mark Tool 

  I wrote a blog about the Multi-Mark last summer but I thought it was a good idea to revisit this tool since I found a video that demonstrates the tool in use.

Multi-Mark video

  I have had a Multi-Mark for several years and it has remained a solid useful working tool, and one that I can recommend.

Fifth Day of Christmas

  My fifth day of Christmas pays homage to the five versions of the KREG Pocket Hole Jig.  If my count is correct KREG Company is marketing their fifth version of their iconic jig.

The K 4 is the 5th

    I have one each of the previous two generations of jig, and  use them all the time.  My oldest is not easily adjustable for material thickness, but of course is excellent for 3/4 inch stock and the newer version is the one that I use for all the other dimensions. I used other knock off pocket hole jigs and did not like the result, once you go KREG you will never go back.

   Foot note:

   All you wood working snobs out there that only use mortise and tenons, or biscuits or magic or what ever.   Since it is the holiday season I'll just wish you Merry Christmas and keep on using pocket holes when it serves me best.

cheers,

Bench and Back Issues - a resolution

  If you have been following along with the Blog for the last few months you know that I have had a spring and summer filled with frustration and back pain, and frustration caused by back pain too.

   The situation has resolved to where my back hurts most of the time but not too much, unless I spent an extended period of time sitting (riding in the car) or bent over at the waist.(gardening, leaning on my desk, working at my bench  etc.) My computer desk in my office was made into a standing desk over a year ago and now the  lap top that I use away from my desk looks like this:

   Yes, that is a Chromebook on top of a stool, on top of the kitchen island.  That puts the keyboard 47 inches off the floor and means that I stand very erect to type on the computer.  Standing is tiring, but not painful, so this is how it is now.

    In the shop I have a heavy duty rolling work table that I have been using for years. It is a good height for sawing and planing and when I need to do smaller work or carve I would sit on a stool at the work table.

   Sitting is not a good idea any longer and bent over and working is just a recipe for disaster.  The solution was a higher bench top upon which to work.  I have turned my mind to all sorts of solutions, raising this bench on blocks, or building a new top for the bench that is raised.  I even thought of retiring this bench/work table completely. (not a good idea 'cause it has good storage)

   The solution was of course staring me in the face, but I couldn't see the forests for the clutter in the workshop.  I have a KREG Klamping Table:

on wheels no less.  Which I have used for several years, and think the world of, but it was too low too.  In a moment of inspired "obviousness" I checked the table and noticed that it was set at its lowest height.  I set in there to have it close to the height of the work table.

   It was just a couple of inches taller than the work table, not enough to make a big difference in the strain on my back......but.....a few minutes with a socket and nut driver and voilà:

   it is now 7 inches taller than my old work table, a total of 41 inches off the ground and now usable for smaller work and I am planning a Moxon style vise, 

Moxon style bench with high end hardware

   to clamp onto the Kreg Klamp Table to enable me to cut dovetails and other small joints.  That will add an inch or two and now the back stain issues should be "but a happy memory, of a far off time and place" or a least less so than now.

     The solution was at hand all the time and required spending exactly no extra money.

Kreg Jig Table Top

   When you are trying to attach trim to the edge of a table or counter top the KREG jig is an outstanding tool.  As you can see I have my old jig set up so that I can drill the holes along the edge of my plywood table top.  The new jig is lighter and more nimble, but this old best does the job fine too.

   Once the holes are all drilled I used my Right Angle Clamps 
to hold the trim in place while I drove the screws in to hold it.

   Those two clamps enable a mere woodworker to overcome gravity and to assemble their work with ease.  Notice that although the top is plywood, the trim is oak and so the screws used are fine cut screws.  

Course for softwood, fine for hardwood.

   A sideline story about the Right Angle Clamp.  I was working for KREG when they introduced the RAC and we where giving the clamp as a bonus if you bought a Master Kit at the wood shows that year.  Some times I couldn't get people to take the clamp because they just never imagined that they would use it.  In following years I sold lots of RAC clamps, once people caught on to the clamps real value.  Further proof that innovation sometimes takes a long time to find acceptance. 

   

   

KREG Tool Videos

   The world famous KREG jig is solidly represented at thetoolstore.ca.  In fact there are 16 pages of KREG products listed on thetoolstore.ca website.  I suspect that is the most complete coverage of the KREG line in Canada.

  

  As you have read in the past, I use pocket holes regularly but I also use the self tapping screws and KREG clamps in other situations and have a Multi-Mark too,

it is part of most layout jobs in my shop.

  What has prompted this KREG love-in? the KREG YouTube channel.  Recently Facebook reminded me about all the cool videos, both instructional and informational that KREG has put on YouTube for us to see.

    I haven't worked for KREG for 4 or 5 seasons now but I still stay very informed about their products because they make good tools, and we all love good tools...

Pocket Holes, 'cause I like them.

    Clara's Bed Project

detail of leg attached to the side rail

side rails sitting on my KREG clamp table

    I planed the parts of the bed the other day and then had to decided how I was going to attach the legs to the side rails.  This bed is a Jr. Bed for my Grand daughter,  that is just about to climb over the railing of her crib.  Since it is a Jr. Bed it is pretty close to the floor so the strain on the legs will be minimal. I am making the bed study enough so that I can sit on the bed with her and read stories.  Keiran's bed was not my project and it is fine for him, but too flimsy for Opa to side on.

     Aside for the lesson about how digital cameras play with colour,  the bed is also a lesson on what is practical.  I want to spend the time available making a cool head board not fussing around with tenons or dowels, so I used my KREG jig and attached the short legs with glue and pocket holes.  The joint will be plenty strong for this application.  

    Actually I used the previous version of the portable jig to do this job, the tool that would have been best it looks like the new Heavy Duty jig.

   I haven't had an opportunity or the necessity to use this jig but I am sure that it works great, all their tools do.

   The Klamp table that was holding the pieces as the stain dried has also been a real boon in my shop.

    When it is not being used for is designed purpose, as a great way to clamp face frames, I have a sheet of plywood to cover it and it is where I put things to dry.  My table has casters and I have often used  it to wheel pieces of wood about the shop from joiner, to saw, to planer as well.  You can see by the photo that I installed a drawer and some shelving under the table for clamps, KREG screws and other related bits and pieces.

    The next step in the bed saga is to assemble it and then cut a 3/4 plywood sheet to size to hold the mattress. None of those thin flimzy slats al a IKEA for this bed. I am making a bed that a kid can jump on, and I know she will.