A couple new additions + (pics)

[John Miliunas]

OK, so I've been ragged on by a couple individuals around here for not posting enough pics of acquisitions lately. I won't mention Tyler or Jerry O. by name, but you know who you are! :D

The first is the new bench-top I picked up at Woodcraft a couple weeks ago, along with my very first LN (low angle block) plane sitting on top of it! :) I did find time to throw some BLO on the top. It's probably going to be a while before I can get a base made, as I'm still in the design and idea stage. Got way too much other house stuff to do right now, anyway! :( Then there's the little 7" bench vise I grabbed last week, also at Woodcraft. Nothing super-special, but for $40.00, it's quite nice. I grabbed some QS White Oak I had left over from another project and made the jaws with it, followed with a couple quick shots of lacquer. Then, there's the "finishing room". OK, don't look like much, and there's still some wood and stuff in the corner which needs to come out BUT, a week ago, you couldn't hardly fit a sawhorse in there, much less two and don't even dream of squirting anything in there! Gave it a pretty good workout today, spraying out a bunch of window trim. I still need to improve exhaust in there, as all I have is a small fan, which I stick in the window. Lastly, and although there's no picture of it, we received Casey's 1st report card of the year. Best gloat of 'em all: She's keeping up with staying on High Honors and doing so while still in the accelerated classes! :D We're quite proud of her! :) That's about it for now. Thanks for allowing me to share and taking a peek! :cool:

[Jim Ketron]

Looks like you made some nice tool buys John!
nice table top Im going to have to look in to those!
Jim

[John Miliunas]

Looks like you made some nice tool buys John!
nice table top Im going to have to look in to those!
Jim

Thanks Jim. The table is the 19" x 66" model and it's below $300.00 for this month only. I walked out there with the table right at $300.00 including tax. I had always wanted to build one from scratch, but right now, time is very valuable to me, so I figured, "What the heck?!" Between the wood, the two bench vises, a bench hold-down and a few dogs, I wouldn't be that far from the price if I were to do it myself. :) :cool:

[Jerry Olexa]

I have the same benchtop bought @ Woodcraft a few years ago. I also made my own base. Wanted the legs,understudy etc heavier and sturdier and its working fine. You'll be pleased. However, I do not have a finishing room . So as I look at your pics enviously, I'm recommending your probationary WW status be leniently adjusted in view of this pic effort! However, you will be req'd to attend a class and do social work for 30 days. Tyler will no doubt, approve this. Seriously, Congrats on your daughter's fine efforts @ school. Hope theh Packers continue and you're right: Vince would be proud!!:)

[Marshall Harrison]

Hey John- that table top is hopelessly flawed. I suggest you send it my way and save yourself all of the trouble of building a base for it. :D

Great pruchases.

Sounds like Casey deserves a big Christmas this year.

[Wes Newman]

John Nice Bench-Top, alls I got is a solid core door with some melamine on top:eek:

[Dick Parr]

Nice score there buddy. That will make one nice work surface and I'm sure you will do good on the base for it. I don't know about those hand tools thou, I get worn out just looking at them. :eek: :D At least you have a clean room to finish in. The wood might get some over spray, but that will come off. :p Try spaying in the same room you just got done spending the day sanding Corian. :eek: You have to walk lightly or you stir up the dust. ;)

[John Miliunas]

Try spaying in the same room you just got done spending the day sanding Corian. :eek: You have to walk lightly or you stir up the dust. ;)

LOL! :D Yeah, I saw those pics of you and your buddy with the cutting boards. Nice job on the boards but, yes, you're right: Corian has a way of just floating out and getting all over the place! :rolleyes: Long weekend ahead: I plan on getting the rest of that wood (or at least, the bulk of it!) outta' the corner. I don't mind the overspray on it, but just don't want the additional dust collectors, which is what they primarily are! :( :cool:

[Dick Parr]

I think the only way I am going to get the shop clean now is to tie everything down, open up the overhead door and use the leaf blower and a couple dozen fans for an hour or so. :D :eek: :D The neighbors will come home from work and think it snowed outside. :D :p

[Karl Laustrup]

Looking good John. Now I really have to get down and see all your new toys...eerrr you. Just need to find a free weekend. Still need to get cyclone installed. That has become #1 priority, well as soon as I get duct work and build an enclosure for it.

Hope to see you soon,
Karl

P.S. Of course if I don't have a stroke from the way the Pack is playing.

[Frank Pellow]

John, now I will be looking for the great base that you build to match the bench top. :D

It must be good to have a separate finishing room. If I can get better ventilation, that is what I plan to do with a larrge part of my old basement shop.

[John Miliunas]

Looking good John. Now I really have to get down and see all your new toys...eerrr you. Just need to find a free weekend. Still need to get cyclone installed. That has become #1 priority, well as soon as I get duct work and build an enclosure for it.

Hope to see you soon,
Karl

P.S. Of course if I don't have a stroke from the way the Pack is playing.

Well, you KNOW where I live and you're welcome *any* time! Oh, and if it happens to be, say.....well, about the time of a ball game, I DO have a TV out there, too! (As long as it's on one of the Network stations!). Then we can both have a stroke at the same time and maybe save a couple bucks if we share the ambulance ride! :D So, get your Butt out there! :D :cool:

[Jeff Sudmeier]

John, wow! The finishing room is looking great! You really have emptied it out, I am sure that you will love the "space"! :)

[John Miliunas]

John, wow! The finishing room is looking great! You really have emptied it out, I am sure that you will love the "space"! :)

You *know* it! I'm already lovin' it! Spent a couple hours in there last evening squirting trim. Close the door, put the fan in the window, mask on my mug and go for it! :D :cool:

[Jack Hogoboom]

John,

Let us know how you like the becnhtop. I saw the special at Woodcraft and nearly pulled the trigger myself. I was worried that the top was a little too small and for some reason, I'd like to have a place to store tools on the top. However, yours looks very nice. Maybe if the workmanship and materials are as good as the pictures look, I'll have to re-think it.

Jack

[John Miliunas]

John,

Let us know how you like the becnhtop. I saw the special at Woodcraft and nearly pulled the trigger myself. I was worried that the top was a little too small and for some reason, I'd like to have a place to store tools on the top. However, yours looks very nice. Maybe if the workmanship and materials are as good as the pictures look, I'll have to re-think it.

Jack

Jack, I'm afraid that by the time I get the cabinet made, the special at Woodcraft will be far gone! :( I thought about the size, as well, but I've already got a BIG bench for putting stuff on and general abuse. I wanted something nice, flat and more accomodating for hand work. I find that if I'm on a large surface, it only serves to accumulate more crap on it! :mad: To that end, my initial "design" will be one where, I believe, I'm going to have a "shelf" of sorts, directly underneath the top and then move down to drawers. That way, I still have a spot to place tools in use, but retain the workspace for the project I'm working on. :) :cool:

[Jack Hogoboom]

John,

What kind of legs are you thinking of making and how do you think you will attach them? With my skills, I'll end up just putting the benchtop flat on the floor.

Jack

[John Miliunas]

John,

What kind of legs are you thinking of making and how do you think you will attach them? With my skills, I'll end up just putting the bench-top flat on the floor.

Jack

I'm probably going to try and find some Maple 8/4 and make a regular cabinet style frame, with "posts", so to speak, coming up underneath the top on six points. Then, the "shelf" with drawers underneath. The top is only about 60lbs., so I will want a bit more heft and rigidity to it to keep from moving. It's going to live a couple feet from my TS out-feed, so I'm making it that height, in order to allow even more support for real long cuts coming off the saw. (I'm doing a LOT of trim, so I can use the additional support.) Once setup, I should have free access to it from three sides, as the one side will be up almost against my router table, though I can move it if needed. I'll post pics once I get underway with it. :cool:

[Tyler Howell]

Thanks for sharing John,

This is for education, the good of WWs everywhere so we can benefit from your journey and learn from you successes.............:rolleyes:
Heck we just like seeing your stuff!;)

[Jim Becker]

Very nice, John. That's the same benchtop that I'm delivering to Mr. Shuk here in a couple of weeks when the Edison show comes around. It's served me very well for over four years. You'll enjoy using it, especially when you decide on a design for your base and execute it. Consider something "cabinet like", rather than just the tressle design that they provide with the top...tool storage right at the bench is oh-so-useful. (And it's a great woodworking project, too!)

Also congrats on your daughter's wonderful report card! What's not to like about that??? :D

[John Miliunas]

Very nice, John. That's the same benchtop that I'm delivering to Mr. Shuk here in a couple of weeks when the Edison show comes around. It's served me very well for over four years. You'll enjoy using it, especially when you decide on a design for your base and execute it. Consider something "cabinet like", rather than just the tressle design that they provide with the top...tool storage right at the bench is oh-so-useful. (And it's a great woodworking project, too!)

Also congrats on your daughter's wonderful report card! What's not to like about that??? :D

Thanks Jim. Yes, it will definitely be a cabinet type. The guys at Woodcraft showed me the trestle design, which is also on sale and I didn't care for it at all. Sure, I coulda' been up and running with it by now, but just don't think I'd be happy with it. This is not a rush kind of thing, so I'll probably just start putzin' with it a little at a time, until I have something I really like. :)

And yes, Casey has been the sunshine of my life on many occasions when things weren't otherwise quite as rosy! :) :cool:

[Mark Stutz]

John,
You'll like the bench! Looks like the one in my shop :confused: :D
You will definitely want a LOT of weight to do hand work. As I've started down that slope, I'm finding my bench sometimes feels like its on a slope! :mad: Built a nice trestle base, and it's just not heavy enough. Going to have to add a cabinet and some tools for more weight.
Give my congratulations to Casey.

Mark


Hey Tyler! Just think. In a few years John will be building a new building on some campus! :D ;)

[Chris Padilla]

Very nice, John! :) I think I may have to make my own bench since it needs to fit a very specific space.

[John Miliunas]

John,

Give my congratulations to Casey.

Thanks Mark, I will!

Mark


Hey Tyler! Just think. In a few years John will be building a new building on some campus! :D ;)

Hold on, there now Mark! You ain't never seen my construction (in)abilities! :eek: Besides, like most campuses, they'd rather over-pay some GC to do a shoddy job with inferior materials and deliver late! :rolleyes: :) :cool: