Crossing the Rubicon - measure, shape, smooth & assemble

   We have smoothed a pre-assembled wooded box. And have decided that is not enough, now we wish to begin with a couple of boards and make out own thing. There may well be saw dust in  your blood after all.

  When you decide to make your simple project, costly and over blown measuring technology is not necessary. A ruler, metre stick or length of string will do the job for a while. I sharp pencil is useful. If you must buy something, I like a folding wooden ruler as a starting place. They are solid, low cost and no tech.

  The next step can be intimidating and/or confusing. Shaping wood can be done with dozens of different tools, similar tasks can be completed with many different tools that require different skill sets. You know the old saying 'there is more than one way to saw a board'. At this point, the beginner in a small space with a limited budget needs to basically drill holes and cut the boards to size. Nearly all wood working can be done with very basic hand tools. If you search the internet you can see excellent wood working done by people is distant countries.  However, you need to be aware they often have skills that they've developed over many years, and they are spending hours on each aspect of the task.

  I know local wood workers that do lovely work, all by hand and for them the process is where the satisfaction lay, so they're happy to spend all winter making a jewelry box. I use a mixed shop because I enjoy the process but also enjoy sharing the finished project. If you read my blog you will also see that I try to match the quality and refinement of the project to its intended use. Out door flower boxes are not a carefully crafted as jewelry boxes. Storage boxes in the basement are less refined than things featured in our living room. 

  So, this is an easy 'made from scratch' project:

 Practically speaking you buy a length of dowel or use bamboo skewers  from a craft store or a big box supplier. The square wood my be free pallet wood from behind a neighbourhood store. (with enough time and tools you can make your own dowels, if you are a purest, I guess)

  To begin your wood working journey you need to drill 8 holes and make a few cuts followed by sanding and finishing.  This stand was the prototype and so it sits on my desk, roughly sanded and unfinished. Don't fear painting wood. Not all wood grain is worth showing off.

  To drill.  A couple of generations ago you could buy a reasonably priced egg beater type hand drill

egg beater drill

  Now, this type of drill when cheap is not worth buying. There are quality drills available but...they are for serious hand tool workers, are a life time tool and cost lots of money.

  The alternative is a corded electric drill. I suggest buying one from a name brand company and a 3/8 variable speed/reversing corded drill will do most of what you want and need for a long time.  Buying a drill with a cord also means that you do not need to decide what battery system to join. I'm on my fourth battery system since beginning wood working seriously 25 year ago. A beginner, small time DIY person will do fine with a corded drill, which will last their whole life and can be had for reasonable money. Also it will be  cheaper than any brand name cordless drill.

  Once you get your drill you find that there are tonnes of specialized accessories for grinding, sanding, pumping what ever.  I used my drill with a disk sander accessory for ages before buying a dedicated sander. Again, on the internet there are many how-to videos showing tips and tricks for using your hand drill. 

Now, we've bought our drill and a small set of drill bits. The square wood needs to be cut to size, how to do that best.  For straight cuts a back saw with a mitre box is not a bad place to start.

  There are plenty of good basic hand saws for less than $50.00. These saws only cut straight lines. ( and are worth owning if you  are going to continue to play with wood) This project has no curves but the next one may be more stylish and cry out for flowing curves. I think a corded jig saw is a good place to start. A jig saw can make adequate straight cuts with care and especially can make curves and shapes. Also jig saws have many different types of blades available  designed to cut wood, metal and plastic.  While not being the very best saw for all jobs it is easily the most versatile.

  Again a jig saw with a cord will not become obsolete and will last many years and projects.

  Once everything is cut, drilled and sanded it is assembled with white glue.  Most projects do not require high tech water proof rapid setting costly glue.

  At this point  you have around $200.00 including taxes invested in your new hobby and gifts for everyone one you shopping list.   Little kids like cut out toys, (lots of curves). 

You are on your way to a rewarding and cost effective hobby. 

  What tools you need next has everything to do with what direction you want to go with your wood working projects.

 cheers ianw 

  

 

In our family home.

  I haven't lived in our family home since the early 1980's but it is the place where I did much of my early wood working.  My younger brother has lived here all his life and knows no other home. I learned basic skills from my Grandfather in Bracebridge Ontario and practised and developed at home. At one point with the help from friends I built a wood shop (actually a large shed) in the back yard.  We did it all, from digging the holes for the concrete pillars to putting the shingles on the roof.  My uncle who is a licensed electrician ran one circuit from the house fuse box out to the shop. I didn't have enough juice for serious power tools, nor enough money to buy any anyway. In that shop I made many things from reclaimed wood little knowing I was years ahead of fashion, I was just too cheap and poor to waste free wood. In that shop I also cut my left index finger on a table saw, for the first time of several times.  It is amazing that I still have enough finger to play guitar.  In that shop my friends and I made home made hard cider, it was drinkable if you were a bold and tough young man. I suspect you couldn't have sold it in prison.  I also made several small clocks in the shop that when out in the world as gifts, so not all my work in those days was slap dash.

  Currently I am spending extra time around home helping out my Mother who is recovering from a broken hip.  I think this week has been the first time my brother and I have slept over in the house in thirty years.  Anyway while I am hanging out making tea and lunches for Mom I noticed two woodworking projects that I did a long time ago.

  This book case was made in the driveway one Saturday while I was a high school student. I bought the shelves pre-cut and a 2 x 6 for the vertical pieces. I knew even then that pre-formed chip board was weak and so made the design to support the shelves in the middle.   I think I has been repainted to darker colours, I suspect it was much brighter in the 70's, it was a time of vibrant colours. I know the basement has flooded at least once and the modern chip board flat pack book cases in it  suffered terribly. On the other hand this shelf sits on 2 x 6 by 4 inch legs and came through the flooding fine. This is why making things from wood is a good idea, here is a basement rec-room bookshelf that is over forty years old. (old enough that it has been through the 'flood')

  At some point the lid of our laundry hamper fell off or was knocked off by a clumsy teenage boy.  Anyway the stop gap solution was to cut out a lid from plywood, edge band the piece and stain it. 

previous related blog post.

  This was probably my first jig saw project and certainly the first time I put edge banding on anything. Again, a project from the early 1980's.  I did not expect this repair to last all these years.  It is a testimony to practical thinking on my Mother's part as well as our families love of wood grain, even plywood wood grain.

  For a while I expect my life to involve more time in our family home, more tea making and probably less time in my home shop.  Once the weather gets better maybe I will return to making things in the drive way while I am here, the shop/shed is still stands but is filled hopelessly to the rafters will years of collected stuff so working in it is not likely.

  cheers, ianw

Shop Jig

   I recently saw a video on making a hand sanding jig that used sanding belts.  I have a belt sander as well as a variety of other sanders, and at first didn't think much about making a jig.
   As I was doing some shop clean up I came across my small collection of-

  broken sanding belts. I've used these belt for a variety of things over the years and still have six left. Should I throw them away...or make a jig to get use from the belts?

  Went back to the video, decided what suited my needs best and made my own version.

  I started with a piece of 2 x 4 and planed the faces smooth and ripped it to width.

  Since the belts are broken I didn't need to develop a method for tightening the belt on the wood block.  I just used thumb tacks on the least useful end of the block. Now I have a 150 grit sanding block with a wedge shaped end to get into small places.  I will use a crape block to clean the sanding belt  as I use it and so will get many, many uses from this simple, useful jig.

  Last week I saw a cool cat silhouette, it was cut from pine and had been very artfully painted. I borrowed the piece for a hour and made a pattern for my future use, I think I better paint this cat pattern red like my other jigs.

  At this time I don't plan to make a cat but having a pattern like this at hand enables me to make something in a hurry for a Grand Daughter to paint.  Over the years I have been collecting patterns for arts and crafts and this latest pattern makes me think it is time to gather the items together and see what I've got.  Fear not..the organizing bug has not beset me, I'm too old be begin organizing now.

cheers Ian

Who me! ?

 I'd never do that.

Christmas Projects

  It is great to have a work shop handy. On the weekend I was able to work on a simple project with my Grandson. He used both the band and jig saws to cut out a circular frame for his sister and Oma to make into a wreath for their door.  Once he gets totally comfortable with the jigsaw he can make all sorts of things on his own.

  

  Today I cut out rings for Eva and her sisters to make into Christmas wreaths to sell at a church sale this coming weekend.  I make the rings from door skin and since I have the tools I used them all.  I cut the rough outside shape with my variable speed jig saw, then I drilled a hole in the middle and cut it out.  The outside was cut more carefully on my band saw.  To smooth out the edges I used a sanding drum chucked into a corded drill. I have had the sanding drum kit for years and consider it a must for an hobby wood shop.

  So that was an easy job that didn't require all those tools, but, it sure is quicker and easier with the right tool.

 Next I made a small wooden stand for our latest decoration from 10,000 Villages, we love the local store and the entire organization.

 The metal silhouette of the Manger scene  needed a boost to be seen over the edge of the window frame.  The wood is left over skid. I glued two pieces together and cut them to size with my band and table saw. Having a shop  with tools  makes it so easy....doing these various little things is No Sweat.   Having a shop and tools also makes it easier to customize your project. For example this green piece of wood 18 1/2 in. long, 2  in. thick and 3 in. tall.  A 2 x 4 wouldn't have done the job, something needed to be customized in the shop to show the silhouette properly.

  The last thing I'm working on actually needs a bit of skill not just available tools.

  If you know your children's stories this is Pettsen and Findus and they are carved Christmas ornaments.  I drew the shapes from a story book and then copied the shapes onto basswood.  I cut the shapes out on my scroll saw and have carved low relief.  Next I sanded the pieces and gave them two coats of spray sealer so that they can be painted in their characteristic colours.  I'm hopeful my little Swedish Grandchildren will like Findus and Pettsen on their tree.

  

  If you are planning Christmas gifts from you shop, better get on it. Christmas Day is less than a month away. ( not that the grand kids are keeping track or anything.)

cheers, ianw

An Excellent Jig Saw Project

  I have been a fan of Izzy Swan at izzyswan.com for a few years now.  He sometimes makes crazy things but often makes useful things too.  This folding stool project is an excellent jig saw project, and as he says in the professional video it can be made using only a jig saw. The entire project requires only a saw, drill, glue and sand paper. Nice.  Notice Mr. Swan reminds you to use a good saw blade. Sharp tools make all jobs easier.

DIY Carrying Along Stool. 

  This project of Mr. Swan's has many things to recommend it to a home work shop guy.  It is basic enough that it need not be intimidating. Further this project can be made in volume if one wanted to equip a play room or to sell the stools at a yard sale. Once you get the patterns set you can cut out lots of parts at one time.  Lastly the shape and design are classic enough that you could be finished in many different ways for many different looks.

cheers ian

   

My shop is a mess, again.

On Sunday, after church my grandson and I crashed down to the shop to make another boat.  Last September 6th we made a submarine.

A proud maker.

  Last weekend we made a boat that provides support services to this submarine. 

    This type of ship was our basic inspiration, but we did not have enough time to really do the project justice. There is nothing better that working with an enthusiastic seven year old with a plan, also almost nothing as challenging.  We also added a time crunch to this project which is partially why my shop is a total mess.  

  I have tried to set an example of calm and focus in the shop with a routine of returning tools to their proper place as we work.  On Sunday it was chaos, there were tools on benches, and machine tops and even the floor, when we were done.  After seeing the kids off home, Eva and I jumped in our car and headed away for an over night holiday, leaving the mess behind. Today I was off running errands and so Tuesday after supper and still the shop is chaos. The house Elves do not put away tools, or sweep the shop.(sadly) I'll get to it tomorrow morning. 

  We were so rushed that I didn't even get a photograph of our effort.  The plus side of this building project was  it introduced Kieran to two new tools.  We used a jig saw and a wood rasp for the first time together.  I think I will try and create a project that uses the jig saw for his next visit.  With the correct blade in place a variable speed jig saw can do lots of things, and he maybe ready to use it. (with coaching and supervision) Kieran is comfortable with the band saw and the drill press now and uses his small cordless drill driver for putting in screws, so it is time for some new tools. 

  I think the wood rasp was also popular, it clears material faster than sand paper, and speed is important when you are 7 1/2 years old.

Big beard, long hair but no horns, to easy to break off,
just like on real Viking helmets.

  I need only a handle for the paint box and so am making a small carved Viking for my youngest grand child. On our last trip to Sweden she got the Puffin

the last minute puffin.

  The small carvings are a good size for small hands and are pretty much unbreakable. Once the Viking is painted it will be another bright thing for be dragged from place to place and finally lost in the long grass.  (which is exactly why I make them).

  This evening I am relaxing and stretching out my sore back, tomorrow back to work.

cheer, ianw

The JIg Saw - A tutorial

Steve Ramsey calls the jig saw the one saw to rule them all.  But, if you only have room or money for one saw the jig saw is a really good choice for you 'one saw'.

What Can You Do With a Jig Saw.

  When it comes to Jig Saws there is a spectrum of out there.  I feel that it is a tool that you need to choose to fit your hand and your purpose. I also feel that it is a  tool that no shop can do without. Watch Steve's video, there is lots of information there and it is all good.

  cheers, ianw

Corner Caddy

  In the corner of our living room sits my big chair.  For a long time my chair has been surrounded with books, magazines and miscellaneous electronic devises.  Like everyone else I have a phone, a tablet, a lap top computer and an e-reader plus books and magazines.  Often those things drift into the corner and settle in  small piles around my chair. The television remotes and all that stuff is up stairs in the family room.
  
  Yesterday I looked at the collected chaos, considered the coming month with all the traditional comings and goings and decided it was time to bring the 'stuff' * under control.

  Again this is when a workshop in the basement is wonderful.  I designed this caddy to hold my phone and tablet/e-reader a pen or reading glasses in the narrow front slot. The larger compartment is for books and magazines. The handle means it is easy to move around the room and can be easily stashed behind the chair when there is a crowd of folks hanging out.

   The first stage of this project was decided its over all size.  I opted for 6 1/4 by 13 by 5 in front 8 inches in back.  I made the box so it would fit on the window sill if I wanted it handy while sitting and reading. 

  I had some Baltic birch plywood in the bin down stairs but made the front panel from thinly planed pine.  I stained the bulk of the box but left the front unfinished as I plan a wood burned pattern for later.

  Making this type of project is interesting because when I am making for myself I often use nails to put things together.  Had I been making something like this for someone else I probably would have glued it together or made an effort to hide the fasteners, thereby taking twice as long.  I like my projects to get going and get finished in a hurry, I'm afraid. 

  Here is the box sitting on the arm of my chair.  I can throw all my corner stuff into the box and find it  quickly and easily.  

  A project like this is really an apartment workshop style project.  Sheet stock can be bought in bite sized pieces at building supply stores and the tools necessary to make a nice job of this project are limited.

  I used a saw, if you have only one get a jig saw. Hammer and a few nails. Wood glue. Then I sanded everything and stained it.  You can sand a small project like this by hand or spend a few dollars and get a reasonably priced random orbital sander  to make finishing easier.   In fact a project like this could be covered in wall paper or stickers or if that  suits your style and taste. 

  The reason  to make this is simple.  It is wood, it will last.  Some  cheap plastic thing from a $ store won't look as good, last as long or provide the satisfaction you get from making your own thing.  Also since it is wood it can be refinished to match evolving decor in a way that a plastic thing can't.

  Wood is Good.

cheers, ianw

* there are other names for stuff, but this is a family show.

The Apartment Wood Worker

  I think I have a new woodworking hero, Curtis Hampton a.k.a. the Apartment Woodworker.

  Check out this video of him making a tool box and visit his site to see his other projects.

making a tool box

  In a blog on February 24 2012 I talked about an apartment tool kit and another time talked about the usefulness of a jig saw 

(April 2, 2012). I could and should have talked about the Black and Decker Workmate and the Kreg Pocket hole Jig and worth while additions to the apartment tool kit. Curtis certainly showed both tools to their best advantage.

 If, in the future I whine about my workshop space people are allowed to give me a cold stare and refer me to "The Apartment Woodworker".

nice bit of work there

 

cheers, IanW

Quick Last Minute Christmas Ornament

Jig Saw Star

This video attracted my attention when I saw how cleverly pocket83 over came his lack of a scroll saw. By making this jig for a jig saw you can control your blade and do finer work than is typically the case.

This is nearly a home made Rockwell Blade Runner, with the advantage of taking your jig saw from its mountings and using it free hand. 

While I was checking out the Jig Saw Star video I turned up one for a Jig Saw Vice Attachment , a more heavy duty set up to utilize your jig saw.  With the correct jigs and patience a small shop mightn't need to tie up space with large tools.

  I am still working on puzzles and have a hippopotamus to repair before Christmas. So, it is time to make saw dust, not electrons.

cheers, ianw

Wednesday in the Shop

 Sometimes I spend time in my wood shop and don't really do much, but all 'shop time' is 'good time'. Today was a good time.

  First thing I did today was clean up a cabinet that I picked up on the side of the road.

  This is a upper unit from someone's kitchen and all it needed was a shelf. To cut a shelf I used my framing square and a jig saw. I know this is not much of a woodworking project but....it was time well spent.

 Another thing I did was finish sand and varnish my bagel slicer.

    Kieran is my reason for making this bagel holder. Kieran likes to have a bagel with cheese for breakfast, he will be six this summer and I want him to be able to safely make his own breakfast. Again not a big job, but one that I felt needed to be done. Sanding blocks make getting maple glassy smooth easy.

two brooches and a tie tack

  I have been working away on small things.  These three pieces have three coats of varnish. These pieces are sort of silly, but style is often silly.

  The rest of my woodworking day was spent mowing the lawn and fixing a couple of small things from 10,000 Villages. Repairs always take more time than you imagine.  When I have repairs to do for 10,000 Villages I end up digging around in jars and drawers looking for hardware, and again I found just what I needed.  This sort of task is fun, when it doesn't need to be cost effective.

a bird condo?

    Finally the weather is good, the yard looks good and it is time to get outside.

  Do woodwork in the back yard in the fresh air.

Cat Food Stand

 We've recently acquired a kitten. Jr. Kat, the kitten is pretty, active, has a Detroit Diesel Purr and is about as graceful as an elk on ice.  Every time Jr. eats from his food dish he tips it over and spills the kibble, his water dish is one use only too because he bats is around and spills his water onto the floor. Even if you love your little kitten you get tired of cleaning up puddles or crunching stray kibbles underfoot. 

  This is the solution to Jr. Kat and his messes. I had a couple of pieces of 2 x 10 construction lumber laying around so I planed it flat and square. (flat and square just make all the following stages easier)  I traced the plastic tubs which are standard 500ml containers and reduced the the circumference about 1/4 inch. 

  Next I drilled four holes inside the line to give my saw blade some relief as I was cutting the wood out of the inside.
  

 For the first hole I used my faithful ol' jig saw.  I've had this saw for ages and cut hundreds of feet of wood. It did an okay job, and if it were my only option I would have carried on, but the jig saw works best in thinner material, the 1 1/2 stud lumber meant that there was a bunch of sanding necessary once the cutting was done. My set of sanding drums certainly cleaned up the cut quickly and easily but for the other holes I chose to use my band saw.

cat food stand, underside

 If you look closely you can see the entry cut which didn't weaken the wood seriously and cutting the material out with the band saw was quicker and meant that there was no sanding to be done.

  I put the cross pieces on instead of four feet to raise the stand off the floor another inch so that the plastic tubs which were deeper than 1 1/2 inch wood could flush in the hole.

  I sanded everything smooth and left the wood unfinished,because Jr. Kat is still chewing on stuff. The plastic tub is the standard sour cream container size and so every now and then the container can be thrown out, after I've got tired of cleaning it. Cats must have dirty noses because their drinking water get filthy.

  This is a job that can be done with found lumber, I think the 2 x 10 came from a local building site last summer and basic tools. Yes, I used a band saw but this could be completed as well in a hand drill and jig saw shop.

 Like they internet keeps saying: " get out there and build something"

cheers, ianw

bbq paddle

   These two things go together, though how is not too obvious.  No this is not a BBQ brush, there are no wire bristles hidden on the underside.

 

  It is a Grill Paddle.  I can't claim it as my own invention, I saw a similar tool at a restaurant years ago.  I suspect that just like you and I they got tired of buying grill brushes.  Over the years I have bought many brushes, I even used a welding shop wire brush for a while. Getting the grill clean with a brush wrecked the brush quickly and didn't really clean the grill all that well.  

   As this BBQ season got rolling I chewed up another brush, then had an inspiration. As we drove by the neighbourhood that had the restaurant I thought of the Paddle. So, I knocked out this little beauty  on my band saw and softened all the edges with my random orbital sander.

   The grill paddle works best when the grill is HOT.  I crank the gas up and scrap the grill down before putting the food on.   After cooking, I just ignore the grill until the next time.

  My Grill Paddle is 22 by 4 1/2 inches at the broad end and made from clear pine. You can see here I am  pushing the paddle along the hot grill.

  There are burn marks on the wood already and I've only used the paddle twice. The hot grill cuts channels into the wood that align with the grill bars and make cleaning quick and easy.  Effectively I have a 'custom grill paddle'. Since this paddle is 3/4 I can use it to clean between the steel bars on the grill too.

  Why use this instead of a steel/brass wire brush?  

Have you ever wondered where all the little bits of wire go? I do. 

Do you hate wasting money on cheap junky tools like the standard BBQ brush? I do. 

Do you like making stuff that is useful in your house? I really do. 

And this paddle cleans up the BBQ as well as any wire brush I've even used.

Heat up the BBQ and try it out.

cheers ianw