Need sympathy

[Mike Schueler]

Well, I really screwed up a cherry coffee table I have been working on for over a month now. I get precious little shop time, and this sucker was almost done. I had it sanded perfectly, and the top and bottom shelf (craftsman style) are flat and exactly the right size. It was one of the only projects I have made were it was dead square from the first; the diagonals measured within 1/32" without fudging.

Anyway, I have been putting a waterlox finish on it taking my time so I comes out nicely, and brought the frame and shelves (shelves not attached) inside today so I could work on a high chair for my 4 month old who is growing up fast. By the way, the finish was looking awesome.

While working on the high chair I realized I bought the wrong damn collett for my router, and couldn't do what I wanted. Have to order the right one and wait some more. Sharpened some chisels instead and generally cleaned around a bit. Then, it was time to bring the table for finishing back into the shop; the bottom shelf, then the top shelf; then the frame. Well, I guess I wasn't watching and BLAM ran one of the legs into a corner. I was carrying it from the far side, and all the torque you could hope for was transferred into one stretcher, which of course snapped. The sides and stretchers were held on with biscuits, which it turns out hold really well; the damn leg splintered, and the stretcher itself cracked.

Now the frame, NEARLY FINISHED mind you, is in pieces. Start again.

I have no idea even how to react. Thankfully the top and bottom shelves are OK; however, I can't bear to look at the rest of it for now. Maybe more can be saved. Sigh.

[Dewey Torres]

Mike,
Please post a few pics... we may be able to help you save it.

Don't count us out ... we have done it before:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=98758&highlight=tambour+clock

[Derek Stevens]

never give up, or as we say around our shop, "if you can't fix it, feature it" a coffee table perhaps? pics would help, and above all, sorry to hear it. we have all been there.

[gary Zimmel]

I feel your pain Mike

Only a fellow wood worker knows how much effort goes into our projects..
And when something goes bad it bites.

As the others have said post a pic or two.

[Robert Parrish]

I know how you feel, I just finished a carousel horse and was carrying it through my shop when it slipped out of my hand and one of the front legs hit the workbench and broke off. I clued it back together and you have to look real close to tell. It's all part of woodworking!!

[John Schreiber]

How I feel your pain. You can fix it and your pain today will be in the past. In the future you will look at your project with pride.

[Scott Haddix]

I'll echo the sentiment that I've also had projects at an advanced stage where I did something to destroy hours to days worth of work. You have my sympathies. It royally stinks.

One lesson I've learned that may not apply to you, but absolutely does to me, is that I have to step away for a few hours to days (depending on just how bad the loss factor is) to get my head back into the right mindset before starting back. If I don't, I'm working frustrated and trying to make back the lost time, which has the results you'd expect...

Hang in there...and while my skills are inadequate to offer you advice on how to salvage the most possible, I've got a lot of faith in the cumulative wisdom of the group that they'll help minimize the pain.

[Jim Kountz]

Man that really sucks, sorry to hear about that. As others have said its only the guy making the thing who knows what all goes into a project. We have all done something like this and Im sure we will all do something like this again, hopefully however its not a total wreck and you can salvage some of your hard work. Lets see some pics when you feel like it ok??

[Alan DuBoff]

I feel your pain...and will share another story with you, I don't think it will make you feel any better, but I think it will make you feel like your not alone.;)

I was building a saw not long ago, and had been working on it a long time, making it look/feel just right, and was happy with it. Was really putting it through it's paces, and crosscutting hard maple, hickory, and purple heart.

Made about a half dozen cuts and went back to the computer to take a rest. When I returned I saw that the handle had cracked...the worst thing is I was giving this saw to a friend...:eek:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=102870&d=1228459236

So, I had to make another handle, and it worked out ok, but I liked the first handle better...:(

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=103118&d=1228736691

[Neal Clayton]

if it makes you feel any better, when i started building windows a few months back i got the first one done after about 4 days of plotting and planning, everything fit, and i was mulling about the means of cutting the groove for the rope/chain (old style windows that work via a pulley and counterweight).

well it occurred to me that i could turn my tenon jig around backwards and clamp the whole assembled sash vertically that way and cut it with a dado blade, one of my better ideas!

worked great, except i cut the wrong side of the sash...

[Dewayne Reding]

It's tough when it happens near the end. I knocked a walnut clock off my makeshift finish table last month. Another testament to joinery as it just exploded down a couple woodgrain lines.

[Robert Parrish]

Well here is another one of my screw up I'll share. Last spring I started making a curio cabinet for my wife and misread the plans. I made several frames incorrect and got totally frustrated with the thing and threw it in the back of my shop. I told my wife that I would complete it in Jan. Well it's Jan and I started working on it again and discovered it wasn't as bad as I had first thought. I guess I just need to step back and take another look. It will be finished next week. I hope!

[Mike Schueler]

Thanks for the support.

Later on I may post pics, but I finally cooled off enough to look a little at it this am and I think I can make it work, but I totally have to re-do the legs; I can saw the sides shorter, and the stretchers also, and just have a smaller base. I think. But the legs are gone, at least two of them are. This may be some benefit, as I made the base a little too big anyway, and I didn't like the legs -- they were too skinny and didn't taper, which would have looked better. Also, maybe I can add some corbels or something.

The underlying issue is that I HATE having unfinished projects, and I have had two going (coffee table + high chair) for a while now. Drives me crazy.


Maybe this is my chance to play with M&T instead of biscuits. Haven't tried M&T yet.