A Project for the Month of March

[steven c newman]

Late start...had issues with the resaw stuff....hand is about all healed up...still a little sore. Project? Well, not a whole lot of usable lumber on hand...and nobody around here sells 1/2" thick Ash...Maybe a small box? Paul Sellers made one a while back..
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Don't have enough to do that single drawer, but..I could split into 2 drawers....and, IF I watch how the grain lines up....

Leftovers also include a slab of 1/2" x 5-1/2" Pine.....and a bit of 1/4" plywood....

I did sort through the slats..
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Figure a back and 2 sides can be glued up from 2 pieces, IF I watch the grain...the narrow strips that helped cause the kick back?
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Were ganged up, and trimmed to all the same length...removing the worst spots...
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Edges were jointed, while giving a fancy plane a workout (and me..)
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Then some glue, cauls, and clamps...
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And let this ...thing... sit a few days....this will be the lid of the Desktop Organizer....
had a plane to tune up....was getting shavings under the chipbreaker...
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Also wanted that little chisel tuned up....bevel needed to be a single slope. then a Unicorn hit it..
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Sharpened things to 1K, then the cloth wheel. Chipbreaker needed work....big old gap....got rid of the gap, and polished as needed.

Having issues, with cranking clamps tight....with the right hand....switched to being a Lefty for a day, or two....

Stay tuned for Part 2....:D

[steven c newman]

Was able to glue up a panel for the back of the box...
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usual issues of jointing two edges, until they are gap-free...
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One face needed planed a bit....was a bit too thick along one edge..
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Then let it and the "lid" sit a day or two...

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These 4, needed to be jointed, until I had panels for the 2 sides...
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Ready for a glue-up. Clamps, and cauls were busy....had to wait a day...

Was able to finally do those 2 glue-ups today....after cleaning up the first 2 panels,,,
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As that freed up the clamps I needed...
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Stay tuned for the story of the clean-up.....I even dragged out a smooth plane :eek:

Needed to clean this sort of stuff up...
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Looks like fun?

[Matt Riegerix]

Love the resourcefulness. Looking good.

[steven c newman]

First, I buzzed the worst of the burnt stuff off, with a beltsander.....then the Millers Falls No. 14 to flatten things out..
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Got close to smooth....Used the WR #62 for a little bit...
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had to be watchful....the 62 LOVES to do tear-outs in Ash....then there was the panel for the back...clamps came off slowly, listening for any strange sounds....
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With the cauls coming off last....then back to the Jacks..
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I even dragged out a smoother...
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Millers Falls No. 9, Type 4 ( last of the GOOD types)
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Today? Need to trim the lid for square, then I can size the rest of these panels to the lid. Looking for a certain amount of overhang all the way around. Then decide on what corner joints to use.....Through dovetails, or....box/finger joints. I also need to clean those 2 side panels up, trimmed for size, and squared up. Maybe I can get started after Lunch? Work until the back starts in.....

Stay tuned....have Guinness Extra Stout on hand, for when I get done in the shop....

[Dennis Droege]

Nice progression and fun for me to see. Ash does love to do tear outs, sometimes when I least expect it. I built my bench from ash a few years ago--best wishes for a great outcome.

[steven c newman]

Hmmm, time to get up to date....when last seen, these two..
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Needed to come out of the clamps....without and cracking, groaning....
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Might take a while....meantime, lid needed trimmed to size..as all else will go from that...
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Going with a length of 12" or so.....square one end, and then the end with the worst defects gets trimmed off. Going for a 3/8" overhang all around, so the back panel was trimmed to that size..
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I could also trim the side panels to size....but....
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They have "issues".....stick them in the vise, and joint the edges...
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With the Millers Falls Junior Jack No. 11...
Then see how these 2 will match up to the back panel...Would be nice if they did, would make corner joints easier..but....
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Not quite...will have to plane the back down a bit...
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Make sure the edge is straight....Sides needed trimmed to length..and square..
Stay tuned for part 2...:D

[steven c newman]

Part 2: Sides checked for square...
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Hmmm, we have ways...trim to length removed a few bad ends...Then a little work with a plane...to flatten and clean things up
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This time, it is the Millers Falls No. 9 doing the work...
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Sides were done, for now....a happy result of the length being a bit shorter....I had 2 pieces the right length for the front...one that will be the "Front" the other will be the Drawer Front...
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Also means I need to joint the edges ( together, they came out a bit too wide..) and plane the faces a bit...
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The Top Front didn't need too much....the Drawer Front?
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Took a bit....note the shavings pile....Planes needed?
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Millers Falls No. 11, Type 2 Junior Jack, and a Millers Falls No. 9, Type 4 Smoother...All parts done? Can put the planes away, for now
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Close the doors. Next will be the joinery toys, to make a few corner joints.....planes MIGHT come out again, when I make the drawer parts to go with the Drawer Front..

Stay tuned...:D

[steven c newman]

Today is "Lay out Day" where I lay out how this box will go together....and the toys..er...TOOLS...I'll need...
Trying to let the grain wrap around all four sides...came close..
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The Right side?
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Not too far off? The left side?
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Just about what I am looking for....even the drawer front....

So...tools?
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Should be enough to start..details?
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I don't need a huge bevel gauge, this Stanley SW should work. Marking gauge is also a Stanley SW model....the square, was sold by Winchester....the dovetail saw is a Disston No. 68. Afraid the mallet is just a "Hyper Tough" one from Wall E World. Chisels are sitting in the rack....Marking knife? Have a Masterforce Folder. And a few SHARP pencils....

Shop normally is closed on Mondays....unless I get really bored sitting around....so..

Stay tuned :D

[steven c newman]

This might take a couple posts....15 photos....anyway...0500 start time in the shop....Marked up one side panel a bit...
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Mainly as to what goes where, like T = TOP, F =FRONT, B = either the bottom, or the back, and IN =inside face...then a baseline..
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Had a few layout tools..
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Gotta have a pencil sharpener, right? Laid out the Pins..
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At least the cut lines..get the shop stool set up..
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As I will be sitting down on the job, of course..
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I drop the panel down low in the vise, prevents vibration and it is right at elbow height...
Next set up a chopping block...and chop 1/2 way on the show side..
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Then, flip over and complete the chops...
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Pins are done.....use these to lay out the tails....in Part 2
Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Make sure the back panel is marked up, and aligned....sit the completed pins up on the end...I used me chin to hold it vertical, while I traced around the pins....with a very sharp pencil...then over to the bandsaw, make a bunch of cuts, staying on the waste side of the lines...or at least try to....then back to the chopping block..
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Again, starting on the face that will show, I chop 1/2 way down....this also prevents any blowouts/chipping that will show..then flip over..
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And finish the tails....time for a dry fit...
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Ok, been a while, might be a little out of practice? Then, go back and repeat the steps for the other corner....and dry fit..
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Lay this on it's back, and see how the upper front will line up..
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You are looking at this from the "top" of the box, as a drawer will be at the bottom....Top piece needs a rebate milled..
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And, since the Wards 78 still has it's spur deployed, and the Stanley 45 T-20 does not...
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It was used for the rebate. Need to reset the 45 with long rods, as that rebate becomes a groove, to house the floor of the upper compartment. Then reset it again, to plow a groove for the box's bottom, that the drawer will be riding on.

Busy morning, back is sore...may take the rest of the day off....

Stay tuned...

[steven c newman]

Needed to reset the Stanley 45....replace the short rods with the long rods...and set the fence up a bit wider..
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As I need a groove milled into the 3 sides...to match this rebate....compartment needs a floorboard, after all..then, reset the jig a bit..
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And start getting ...groovy..
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Was fighting the grain a bit on this one....decided to set up the #71-1/2 to level the bottom of the groove...Had the set the cutter up so I could move along the jig....except....Veritas cutter did not fit in the groove made by the Stanley #12 (1/4"...0.250") cutter.....measured the veritas cutter, supposed to be 1/4" came out as 0.252"......hmmm. Anyway, got 3 grooves done. had a scrap of 1/4" plywood to check alignment with...
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Will do, for now....which left this part..
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Which needs to be dovetailed in place, below this will be the front of a drawer....full with sides get pins, so...
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But, only down to that groove. chop the pins, mark the tails, saw and chop the tails, and dry fit corner #3..
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By this time, the back was getting crampy, again....decided I can come back the next day, and do corner #4....so, I just left things sit...
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Stay tuned :D

Will take a stone to that too wide Veritas cutter....has a chip in the edge, anyway.....next time I get to sharpening stuff.....

[steven c newman]

After some issues with the #45 and the #71-1/4 planes....needed to plough a few groove to hold the bottom panel of the box...
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Reset the plough with the short rods, and a new cutter...was able to clean the bottom of the grooves...
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Now that the Veritas cutter will actually fit into a 1/4" groove. Three grooves done,,,the 4th corner needed pins made..
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And the tails to match...
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Did a dry fit...
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Of all 4 corners....then cut 2 pieces of 1/4" plywood...
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One for the bottom of the box ( still debating on the type of drawer..)and..
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One for the floor of the compartment....

Not a bad evenings work? Still have the drawer to make, some sort of base to build, and work on the lid a bit...

Stay tuned..

[steven c newman]

Decided to go ahead and glue the case up...THEN work on a drawer...
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Letting this sit a day....then see what I need to do with the drawer....
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Might be a while, until I get me bench back.....seems to be a Clamp Forest growing there....

[steven c newman]

Clamps have now been removed....clean up has begun....will see about a drawer, later today..

Film @ 2300 hrs

[steven c newman]

Working on getting things clean and square..
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had to level the top and bottom so things don't rock...
Fill a few spots...
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Needed a joint made to fill another spot..
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Then a second rebate was needed..to go under the plywood bottom...
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Then a dry fit...
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Or 2...
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Then glue, a cheap brush to apply it, and a few clamps...
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Mark the drawer front for length...and cross cut...
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Stay tuned, plenty more to come, today....worked from 0900hrs to 1200 hrs...back is sore..

[steven c newman]

So...do I NEED a chuting board for those cross cuts?
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Not really...this is right off the saw. Then mark for width, set the rip fence...
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Was still a hair too wide....Millers Falls No. 14 to joint the edges a bit...test for fit, again..
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Nice slip fit...run the 2 sides through the same way...marked for length, ripped for width...joint for fit...
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Check for fit..
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Seemed all these parts needed to be planed flat, too...we have ways..
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Getting all the main drawer parts sized up...
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Back needed to be a tad shorter and narrower. It will sit in a dado at the back of the sides, and the bottom of the drawer runs under it...
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And, just like the rest, needed planed flat....

part 3 coming up...Laundry has been moved from the washer, over to the dryer....when that is done, so is shop time...back is getting sore, right between the shoulder blades..
Stay tuned..:D

[steven c newman]

Part 3..... getting a start on Drawer Building 101? Pins need laid out....usual suspects...
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I found out, that bevel gauge is a Stanley No. 25, SW model. Pins are laid out on the sides of the drawer..then
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They were sawn...then chopped, cleaned up.....use to lay out the tails...trying to stay on the WASTE side of the lines....a bit rough on the small items...dry fit?
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A bit rough around the edges...maybe the other corner will be better? Dryer shutting down...time to call it quits for today..
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letting this sit right here, until the next shop time/Laundry Detail comes along...

Will need to plough grooves to house a plywood bottom in the drawer...and the dados to house the back....may get out the new Stanley #45, T-3 to cut the dados? :confused:

We'll see....stay tuned..:D

[steven c newman]

laundry Detail today...means 3 hours of shoptime, too :D

So, clamps from the last glue up came off...
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So, now it is easier to size the drawer parts....Needed to get the other front corner dovetailed, too....enough to do a dry fit...
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Might get the hang of these things, someday....Issues began AFTER the dados for the drawer back were done, and I had started to groove the front..
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And one side..
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On this one, the dado is on the correct face..the inside one....on the other side piece, dado was on the OUTSIDE face...:mad: Means I had to stop, remake a new side from scratch...and hope the dovetails fit
Then a dry fit to get the drawer bottom the right size...
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THEN I could get the back to the correct length, and height ....which involved a jointer plane...
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Jointed each edge, so the top of the back will be low enough...(Washer was done, transfer over to Dryer) At which point, glue and clamps came out, along with a wet paint brush to moosh the glue into all the spots..
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There goes the neighborhood, again. Laid out a few curves on the lid...and used the bandsaw, with a BRAND NEW BLADE..
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This Ash must be some tough stuff. Blade isn't even 1/4" wide....and still can make the turns?

Waiting on the drawer..
Stay tuned...letting the drawer sit overnight...Dryer is done, and so am I...:D

[steven c newman]

Drawer is out of the clamps, and cleaned up..test fitted...
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Handles installed...
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Hinges installed...
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Back of the drawer needed shortened a bit...too long of a bottom...
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Top edges of the drawer needed to be leveled...
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EVERYTHING sanded from 100 grit down to 220 grit...then..
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A coat of stain was brushed on, then wiped down....need to let this air out a while..
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Then see how things have dried out...before the varnish goes on...

[steven c newman]

Went to the shop today....repaired a couple spots where glue blocked the stain...then hand sanded the whole box to 320 grit...added a wash coat of stain....allowing to dry another day.

Find out tomorrow when they will be installing the "Watchman" in my heart...those go up through the leg and into the heart....means I will be "grounded" from even driving the car...let alone going to the shop...have to wait until that plug heals up...so...this might be the last Project for a little while.....until I get the "OK" to work in the shop, again...

[steven c newman]

1st coat of clear gloss poly has been brushed on....allowing it to dry.

Waiting on the Medicade to give the "OK" before they install the Watchman.....says about 2-3 weeks away.....

[steven c newman]

here we go....
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haven't a clue as to what will get stashed in it...yet. Was just a way to use up the Ash leftovers from another project, instead of burning them. practice to keep what little skills I have going along..

[Thomas Wilson]

I think you should re-name the Dungeon to the Toy Room. Nice tools, nice work. I hope the new Pacemaker has a special “shop mode” so that it can keep up with you.

[Tobias Jones]

Great to see how the first two weeks went! How is it going now? Any updates?

[Jim Koepke]

[edited]
Find out tomorrow when they will be installing the "Watchman" in my heart...those go up through the leg and into the heart....means I will be "grounded" from even driving the car...let alone going to the shop...have to wait until that plug heals up...so...this might be the last Project for a little while.....until I get the "OK" to work in the shop, again...

Good luck with your medical procedure Steven. My bypass surgery kept me out of the shop for four months.

jtk