What would you Build?

[Victor Stearns]

Greetings Creekers,
So here's the deal. I am a full time engineer who has spent the last 12-yrs getting my bachelor degree in mechanical engineering. I know BORING!
Anyway, one of my last two classes will be Senior Design. You spend one semester working up a design and the second semester building it. Some of the past projects are remakes on something that already exists. Thus it does not have to be a totally new idea, maybe just an improvement. i.e. different material, different method to manufacture.
While there are a great number of ideas, nothing that strikes my fancy.
Being a die-hard saw dust maker, I thought, "What can I build that would benefit me and my hobby/passion? and maybe even others?"

So chime in and let's see what we think.
Thanks,
Victor

[Stephen Cherry]

Victor, I also got an engineering degree the slow way so I sure would like to help, but I am drawing a blank. Are there any more constraints as to what would make a good project? Maybe some composite laminations of wood and aluminum sheet for furniture or storage? Some other variation on materials that would allow an interesting design? Dynamic properties of speaker box material and assembly?

[Matt Day]

How about a sliding TS attachment that's simple and accurate? Possibly made out of easily attainable materials (mcmaster, 20/20, etc).

[Paul Sikorski]

Hmm. What about a self centering slot cutter. A special device for testing the fail point of different wood joints. Or a humidity gauge using the wood movement.

[Andrew Howe]

I vote for the sliding table saw attachment . Then share the build and plans on the creek so.we.can make one as well

[Jamie Buxton]

How 'bout building something from wood that is not usually made from wood? For instance, a bicycle, or a freeway bridge. The mechanical engineering part would be the structural analysis to show that the wooden structure would be strong enough. The woodworking part would be building something cool.

Or how 'bout the roof of a covered football stadium. Could that be built from wood? Do the design work to show that it is possible, and then build a scale model to prove your calculations. (Don't scoff at the possibility. During WWII, there were blimp hangars built with wood. I'm pretty sure they were big enough to hold a football field.)

[Andrew Hughes]

How about a work bench do you have one? That would help your crafting.Nice work benches are inspiring and that's helpful.

[Mike Heidrick]

Auto tool change CNC electrospindle that is $1500 or less. You could retire before you start woring.
Cheap 5th axis CNC as well.

Will take your wood butchering to a whole new level.
Start with a 3 axis machine first if you have never built one before.

[Chris Atzinger]

I would like to see someone come up with a way to retro fit a riving knife to my older (Dewalt 746 hybrid saw), but not old table saw, that is equivalent to modern riving knives (the kind that travel up/down with the blade).

Good luck!
-Chris

[Stephen Tashiro]

What can I build that would benefit me and my hobby/passion? and maybe even others?"


What are your skills, besides being a woodworker? I like the CNC machine idea, but it brings up the quesion of whether you can innovate in electronics and computer programming.

...and what is your budget?

[Phil Thien]

Adapt a mini chain saw bar and chain to a biscuit jointer (replacing the circular blade), so we would have a portable plunge mortising machine.

Ultimately what I'm thinking of is a low-cost alternative to a Domino. The bottoms of the slots would be rounded, but no big deal.

They have mini chain saws on poles you could use for parts. Ultimately, we would eventually want a smaller bar and chain, so the slots can be smaller.

BTW, if anyone reading this decides to manufacture these, I get at least a couple for free.

[Larry Whitlow]

How about a new and improved way to make stationary tools/tables mobile that does not get in the way and lowers back down to the original feet for stability after repositioning. I'm thinking turn the crank and up it goes. Turn the other way and down it goes. Or better yet, insert cordless drill forward to raise and reverse to lower.

Or, even better yet, how about a transporter beam to move that 4x8 sheet of MDF that is leaning agaist the wall to my table saw.

[Todd Burch]

I like Jamie's idea of a wooden bicycle. I may do that one day - that would be a blast!

Here's an idea I just thought of..., stolen from an air hockey table. A tablesaw top / setup that would work like an air hockey table to assist in moving sheet goods through cuts. A vacuum to hold the edge against the fence and air from underneath to get rid of the friction.

[Jay Rasmussen]

Talk about combining Engineering and wood working. Here ya go. If I had the time I would try something along this line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ_AwFSWIPU&feature=related

[Victor Stearns]

Thanks Gent's,
Really like the capstan table. It is based on the Jupe table design. Very interesting indeed.
Then I was thinking that maybe a spin on the miter plan. Maybe hold the plane fixed while moving the work. Um..........;)
Also looks like the design class will have to wait a year. Just no way to take 4-classes and still work 50-hr weeks. Just more time to come up was an amazing idea.
Thanks,
Victor

[Ryan Baker]

Jay beat me to it! Here's another link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYj7j8f24Ko

Congratulations on the senior project. That's the best part of the program. I had to do the design and build in the same semester though ... so it sounds pretty luxurious to get two semesters.

[Thomas Canfield]

Almost 50 years ago, my design group for ME lab did a "design" for a folding powered vehicle that had to be able to fold up into a couple of 2 suit suitcase size containters for airplane travel and carry 2 persons. We did not have to build it thankfully, and some of the ideas were really stretching our design limits and being practical. I did recently see advertised some folding bicycles that have come a long way. Modern materials have come a long way.

You might consider building a model of an engine or some of the geared mechanical toys to utilize your woodworking skills. There is a book out there of Mechanical Marvels in Wood or something like that to help with ideas.

[Alan Lightstone]

The wooden bicycle has been done before. I remember Calfee selling a bamboo bicycle about a decade ago.

How about a device that you place a board into and a designated size jointed and planed board comes out. Basically automating the process of producing S4S boards at home.

[phil harold]

I need a board stretcher

but would be happy with the sliding table saw or 3 axis cnc

[Paul Incognito]

The wooden bicycle has been done before. I remember Calfee selling a bamboo bicycle about a decade ago.

How about a device that you place a board into and a designated size jointed and planed board comes out. Basically automating the process of producing S4S boards at home.
Here you go:
http://www.renovobikes.com/
http://woodbicycle.com/
http://www.leevalley.com/newsletters/woodworking/2/3/article1.htm
I like te Renovo. Classy looking bikes.

I like the sliding table saw idea. As long as you show us how to build it.

Paul

[Carl Beckett]

How about one of those wooden clocks? Gears exposed all made from wood. A real work of art, and able to keep accurate time. Would require a fair amount of gear knowledge ( profiles, tolerances to be sure they still meshed, etc etc)

[Mac McQuinn]

There are a lot of Contractor saws in various member's hands. How about taking a notorious dust maker and converting it into a "clean" tool by developing a blade housing/enclosure which works efficiently with only the addition of the typical Vac, nothing more. Addition must not compromise the machines ability to cut at full bevel or 90 degrees, along with using a dado blade.

Mac

[Duane Bledsoe]

How about a new and improved way to make stationary tools/tables mobile that does not get in the way and lowers back down to the original feet for stability after repositioning. I'm thinking turn the crank and up it goes. Turn the other way and down it goes. Or better yet, insert cordless drill forward to raise and reverse to lower.

Or, even better yet, how about a transporter beam to move that 4x8 sheet of MDF that is leaning agaist the wall to my table saw.

As long as you're going with the Star Trek ideas, why not skip the transporter altogether and just develop a phaser with an edge guide and cut that MDF right where it leans??