Dresser Repair

 Before I get to the dresser, here is a photo of my new sand paper box. The hacksaw blade is screwed to the lid with two small washers offering spacing between the blade and the lid. I drew markings at one inch spaces for easy measurement while using the blade to tear sheets of paper to size.

  A week ago we brought a three drawer dresser home for our cottage/condo because it had dried out totally and was falling apart badly.  Eva reminded me that the dresser was nearly forty years old and so...should be forgiven its weaknesses.

  The top of the dresser came loose and then the sides sprung apart, and then the drawers wouldn't open and close properly.  You can see that the piece was held together mostly with glue, and the dowels were more for alignment than strength.  In the process of taking this apart I discovered that the construction was all just glue and staples. I guess it was sufficient for something not much used, and and this point it was sure easy to take apart.  

  After I got room to work by taking the drawers out it was easy enough to scrape away the old glue.  Once the old joints were cleaned up and I used Gorilla Glue and clamps to pull it back together. In this case I also made sure to dampen the joints first as Gorilla Glue works better on slightly damp wood.  After 24 hours the glue was set and the dresser was solid.

  Since I had the piece here, and apart I decided to re-enforce some of the joints that were somewhat frail and only held together with a small glue surface and a couple of staples.

  In the photo you can see that I am gluing wood pieces in to support the divider upon which the drawers run.  Once the glue has fully cured I plan to put a few small screws (maybe even a pocket hole or two) in to support the glue and make the dresser more rigid.  This way I hope that the joints that haven't let go yet, won't, and the dresser can hang out for another forty years.

  After all the carpentry is done I touched up the various dings and scratches with some spray paint and the piece looks pretty much like new.  

  Yes, it is a cheap piece of furniture, and yes it could have been easily replaced but, it was fixable using limited tools and skills. And so it did not need to become land fill.

REDUCE, REUSE, REPAIR, RECYCLE

 cheers, ianw

  

 

Pocket Hole Clamping Jig

  I have been making some more bike carrier boxes in my shop the last couple of days. To hold the ends to the bottom I use pocket hole screws and waterproof glue.  Since the bottom is 14 by 7 1/2 by 1/2 inch  and I am using the KREG Micro Pocket Drill Guide the KREG RAC clamp will not fit the smaller holes I needed to make a jig to hold the pieces together while I drove in the screws.

underside of the Bike Carrier Box

  I made the jig some time ago and have used it on a previous batch of these boxes and other projects.

 I used to work for Kreg Company and so have driven thousands of pocket screws and have found that proper set up and correct clamping makes everything faster and the results better.

  There is no question that KREG has developed some clever clamps to work with their pocket hole system but a set up like this can be made with shop scraps and a bit of time and tailored to fit a particular need. e.g. the micro jig.

 By clamping the Jig down and then clamping the wood to it I am able to hold the pieces of wood together to form a butt joint, I have also used this jig when assembling butt joints that were not pocket holes. 

 

            

right angle clamp frame

clamp frame holding two pieces of wood,
before clamping.

  With the correct tools all jobs are easier.

cheers, Ian W                               

Wood Turning Project - a good practise piece.

  The video I am attaching this time shows a paper towel holder as a project. As a learning/practice project for wood turning this project has all the elements. 

  To complete the paper towel holder you make a spindle and the practice involved in getting the spindle a even diameter is good for you.  There is a small design feature and then you are cutting a tenon on one end too.

  The second element is a face plate turning project for the base.  When you turn the base you have an opportunity to practice with you bowl scrappers and well as your gouges.

Making a paper towel holder.

  We sometimes forget that to get good at something requires practise. Even when we work in our shop regularly we should take some time and practise some of our skills that we may take for granted.

  Recently I have been making some boxes to be attached to bicycles racks.

   A box like this is held to the bicycle rack with 'Zip' ties. The ties are quick, cheap and easy to use.  I had a request for a box that was a specific size.

  The box had to carry 12 beers, 2 sixes or a full 12.  I made the box so that the cases fit snugly so the beer wouldn't rattle around as you brought it home.

  I boxes are made from 1/4 and 1/2 inch Baltic birch.  Normally I prefer solid wood, but in a case like this the Baltic birch plywood will survive better in the hot sun and probably better in the rain too.  A wooden box is not impervious to the weather but then a plastic box breaks down in the sunshine and gets brittle, the wooden box can be repaired when the plastic becomes landfill.

 I held the ends on with pocket holes using the Kreg Micro Jig.  The Micro Jig is perfect for pocket holes in 1/2 material.  I used the dedicated 3/4 pocket hole screws and got solid, strong joints, quickly and easily.

  It sounds funny but it is not a bad idea to make a few boxes now and then, as practice tool. 

cheers, ianw

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,