Ken Fitzgerald
07-26-2014, 10:18 PM
I am in the process of assembling the cabinet base for a outfeed table for my tablesaw. I dry fit everything, it always looks good but sometimes when I go to assemble after I have applied glue, something has changed. Today was one of those days.
After dryfitting several times, determining the assembly method, predrilling and countersinking holes, I began the process. The last two steps were to put the sides to the glued and screwed inner assembly. The first side went on flawlessly.
When assembling the 2nd side, the shelf that was joined to the other inner panels wasn't lining up with the dado (but it did when I dryfitted it?)so I grabbed my rubber, lead-shot-weighted mallet to persuade it. Lying on the shelf were some 1 5/8" cabinet screws I was using to assemble the cabinet. I swung the mallet and struck the shelf twice rapidly.
What are the odds?
One of the screws, bounced up in the air when I struck the shelf and landed head down.....standing tall and proud.......pointed end up......directly under where my hand was going to be on the 2nd swing....Of course I was watching somewhere else trying to view and coax the shelf into a dado.... I swung the mallet the 2nd time and came down on that screw.....driving the point through my finger nail just above the cuticle.
2nd mistake was to grab that screw and yank it out. I would have done less damage if I had reverse turned it out but....in pain, I wasn't thinking.
Keep a clean work surface guys.
After dryfitting several times, determining the assembly method, predrilling and countersinking holes, I began the process. The last two steps were to put the sides to the glued and screwed inner assembly. The first side went on flawlessly.
When assembling the 2nd side, the shelf that was joined to the other inner panels wasn't lining up with the dado (but it did when I dryfitted it?)so I grabbed my rubber, lead-shot-weighted mallet to persuade it. Lying on the shelf were some 1 5/8" cabinet screws I was using to assemble the cabinet. I swung the mallet and struck the shelf twice rapidly.
What are the odds?
One of the screws, bounced up in the air when I struck the shelf and landed head down.....standing tall and proud.......pointed end up......directly under where my hand was going to be on the 2nd swing....Of course I was watching somewhere else trying to view and coax the shelf into a dado.... I swung the mallet the 2nd time and came down on that screw.....driving the point through my finger nail just above the cuticle.
2nd mistake was to grab that screw and yank it out. I would have done less damage if I had reverse turned it out but....in pain, I wasn't thinking.
Keep a clean work surface guys.