I should introduce myself

[Ed Garrett]

I've lurked for a couple of years, learned so much from this site, and just recently started posting.

I got the bug about 25 years ago when I worked part time in college (minimum wage) at a little furniture factory. All I did was cut out oak arm parts for sofas, but I started bringing home scraps and making boomerangs. My eyesight was good enough then to make strong dovetails with a jigsaw. My first major tool (1985) was a C'man Flex Drive TS. Don't laugh. I've still got it. I've read negative comments about this saw, but for me it's been a wondertool. I've done a few mods & repairs to it and I get great results. I've made everything: big/small furniture, built-in stuff, toys, mechanical items, cabinets, outdoor furniture, etc. from oak, cherry, teak, maple... I've been told I'm anal about finishes and ultra-tight joints. I'm self taught and got the idea early that every corner should be rounded and every part you touch should feel like glass. I design everything myself using MS Excel and Paintbrush for CAD. Nothing I make looks like any furniture you've ever seen. I figure it's easier and cheaper to buy store-bought stuff if that's what you want your furniture to look like.

I've got plans and budget for a big new shop, some updated tools, and a cyclone, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet because I'm also dreaming of moving to a cooler/drier climate. I'd hate to move away from my dream shop.

I'm probably an oddball woodworker because I haven't really known any other woodworkers along the way. I live in a decent sized city (Tallahassee, FL), but I have the feeling this hobby is not so popular here due to extreme heat/humidity for about half the year, which is why I've been so pleased to "meet" you folks.

I have read so many postings by some of you that I feel like I know you. I can't thank you enough for all the incredible information. I hope I can return the favor.

Sincerely,

Ed Garrett

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to the posting side of SMC, Ed!!!!

[Ed Garrett]

Thanks a lot, Jim. You're one of these people I feel like I know. I've read quite a few of your 21,000 posts. As I remember you have a SuperGorilla DC and some kind of extreme sliding TS (the other end of the spectrum from the C'man Flexdrive TS). You've also had a lot of great comments...

[Lou Morrissette]

Welcome to the Creek, Ed. Lot's of good folk here and lot's to learn.

Lou

[Ed Garrett]

Thanks a lot, Lou. I went to college up your way and sure liked the weather better than Florida's.

[Dennis Peacock]

Howdy Ed..!!!! and Welcome to the Creek!!!!

I was born in Florida. :)

Nice intor and glad to have ya on this side of the Creek for a change. :D

[Ed Garrett]

Thanks Dennis. Were you born in the hot part of Florida?

I feel like I know you too. I just made a long comment to one of your posts about gasoline prices in the off-topic forum....

[mark page]

Welcome Ed,

Lots'a good folks here and a lifetime's opportunity to share, learn, and educate. Me, I'm always on the learning side.

[Larry Nall]

Hi Ed:
Good to hear from someone from Tally.
I'm from Sopchoppy, about an hour to your South.
My new shop is under construction.
I'm using the three day weekend to get the roof sheathed.
Larry Nall

[Ed Garrett]

Hi Larry,

Well that's just great there are local Creekers here. I've driven through Sopchoppy many times on the way to the coast. When I was a kid in Tallahassee the toughest tongue twister was, "Sopchoppy shoe shop."

I saw your Sopchoppy shop building threads. I've been planning the same for about a year. It's sure getting complicated. I may look you up for some comments before I start construction. We share the same climate challenges. My existing shop has been under total shade for a long time. That plus an exhaust fan screwed into the wall made for a comfortable shop. Unfortunately I had to remove the big tree that made the shade. Now I work in an oven. I tried an A/C window unit, but it has no chance. The fan pumps lots of dust out anyway. My current thoughts on the new shop include a cyclone and an industrial belt-driven (low noise) exhaust fan. Tell us how your shop works out.

[George Summers]

I'm probably an oddball woodworker because I haven't really known any other woodworkers along the way. I live in a decent sized city (Tallahassee, FL), but I have the feeling this hobby is not so popular here due to extreme heat/humidity for about half the year, which is why I've been so pleased to "meet" you folks.

Sincerely,

Ed Garrett

There is a poster from Hallatassee over on WoodNet that goes by PtrainFSU. He is a grad student at that 'girls school' there. Welcome aboard and GO GATORS!!!!

George

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Nothing I make looks like any furniture you've ever seen.

A comment like that gets by without a demand for pics???!!!

Man, you guys are slippin'!!!!

:D:D:D

Welcome to the Creek, Ed.

[james gerus]

Ed, there's a woodworker and woodturner clubs in Tallahassee at 745 west gaiines street 7:00pm. Woodturners first Tuesday of the month,woodworkers second Tuesday. June is a combined meeting with a tool auction on the first Tuesday only. Note the meeting are at the rear entrance of the Auto Value wharehouse store. Jim Gerus, Crawfordville Fl

[Charles Bruno]

Welcome Ed!!!!
This place is great, the best WW forum on the net!
How about some pictures??

[Mike Cutler]

Ed.

Nice to meet ya' . It's odd to hear that someone want to move north. Usually everyone up here is talking about moving south.

Nothing wrong with that C'man saw. A lot of very fine furniture has been made on that saw, by many different individuals. It's the operator that's important. The saw is just a spinning blade on an arbor.

I'd like to see some of your work. One of my favorite woodworkers for inspriation is HC " Chico" Sakman, also self taught. He blends woods, tone and shapes into beautiful furniture. Not always my "style", but stunning none the less. Not having the classical rote training probably frees you up from the typical woodworking design paradigms.

Once again. Welcome and pleased to meet you.

Mike

[Mike Heidrick]

Welcome to SMC.

As far as waiting on the dream shop, Tools sell all over the place. If it will be a number of years before that dream shop, choose tools that will sell and start out small where you are now. Sounds like you have a TS you like so add the tools you want when you need them. Dream shops to me are ones where your dreams can be made.

[Dennis Peacock]

Ed,

I don't know what part of Florida is the "hot" part of Florida as every part of Florida is hot to me...just like Alabama and Arkansas. Hot and Humid. Panama City was the place...about 900 years ago. :p :D

[Ernie Kuhn]

Ed,
Welcome, great bunch here.
What are the mods and repairs you've made to your C'man Flex Drive Table saw. I have the same one! Interested in any improvements you have discovered.
Ernie

[glenn bradley]

Well hello Ed. Nice to have you around.

[Ed Garrett]

I appreciate your advice. I'm looking forward to the dream shop, but for now I'm constrained from acquiring additional major tools by shop space, and I'm also not quite ready to pull the trigger on the dream shop because I'm also dreaming of a cooler climate. Once I get back to being practical I'll probably get started on the new shop. For now I do seem stuck here in paradise because my daughter just started at the aforementioned girls school, my son is partway through HS, and I'm good friends with my mother/father-in-law who live on a beautiful lake nearby. I also haven't come to terms with permitting, hiring contractor(s), yard destruction, and various other construction hassles. I'm been designing the dream shop for almost a year. Lots of CAD drawings and seven scale models (made out of wood!!!). I've even photoshopped pictures of the models and integrated them into pictures of my house to see how it would look. The latest versions of the shop plans have gotten more complicated. LOML wants a 2nd floor for a studio. I'm not sure what she plans to do up there, but at least a 2nd floor will absorb some of the heat.

I have picked out some new/upgraded major tools. Comments anyone???:

ClearVue Cyclone
Grizzly G0513 17" BS
Delta 13" 2-speed lunchbox planer

I've also thought hard about a TS upgrade. I'd like to move up to a nice cabinet saw. I've learned enough (sometimes the hard way) to appreciate a high end TS. My current favorite is the PM2000. Unfortunately I'm 6'7" and like to elevate floor tools and benches several inches, which may not be compatible with the PM2000 built in wheel system.

I really appreciate everybody's warm welcome. I'll try to post some furniture pics in a few days. I sure get a kick out of participating in this form. Thanks a lot.

[Ed Garrett]

Ernie,

Your the first fellow flex-drive owner I've ever met. Here's some changes I've made to the saw:

I found a discarded fence from a more delux C'man saw. The fence features a retractable rack and pinion fine adjust knob. To this fence I attached an extruded aluminum 2" x 3" box beam which is very straight and smooth.

About 15 years I closed in the back and bottom of the housing. The bottom closure features a 4" diameter hole attached to a leg from some old Levi jeans, which neatly delivers sawdust into a trash receptacle below. I've also covered the slot holes (for the flex drive and front handcrank) with sections from a magnetic sign (which fell off a plumber's truck). All this plus a ZCI and very little dust escapes the cabinet.

The trash bin sits atop a little deck bolted into the saw's feet. Under the center of the deck runs a 5/8" axle and four 8" x 2" wheels. The saw tilts toward two swivel casters for rolling around and tilts the other way to sit up on blocks while operating. This wheel system not only works well on the shop floor, but rolls very well on grass or rough ground.

I found some big cast iron threaded knobs and made them into a system for much easier (than the stock wing nuts) removal of the splitter/guard.

I made homemade handcranks with skate wheels. These are smooth as glass and superior to any stock handcranks.

I screwed some pine lumber to the underside of the left wing, allowing for easy clamping and therefore a supplimental workbench.

To one of the legs I screwed in some wooden prongs which neatly hold the miter tool.

I moved the switch over to the left side for easier access and to be able to turn the saw off with my leg.

I've made a nice sled, many push sticks, and some paddle shaped devices that allow me to add some appropriate vectors to smaller pieces being ripped.

This sounds like a lot of modifications, but they evolved and were built over many (22) years.

I do a lot of joint work with the saw. It seems plenty precise to me. I often cut a piece slightly too large for where it will fit into a piece of furniture, and then I shave the piece with the saw several times until it will just squeeze into place (sometimes with a few mild taps from a mallet).

The only repairs to this saw were:

One motor cleaning by a professional electric shop (approx $55).

One replacement of the worm drive cable. I ordered this from the Sears parts website and got it delivered the next day for only about $90.

Considering the abuse this saw has absorbed, it's amazing to me it's needed so little maintenance. To me it's better than new. In spite of what I've seen people say about this saw on various forums, I think it's a fantastic tool. It's drive system seems a lot less fussy than belts. If someone asked me if this would be a good used saw to buy, I would say "Absolutely."

Good luck with your saw. Tell me if you need more details on these modifications.

[Ernie Kuhn]

Ed,
Appreciate your response.
Yes, fence is POS but screwed wooden aux fence (1 x 6) to it and just fuss with the alignment every time. Considered buying expensive fence but, seemed more like trying to make silk out of a sow's ear, better to save the money and buy "decent" cabinet saw. Probably Grizzly but "round-to-its" haven't gone on sale yet. Only real complaint is that I can not get the blade absolutely vertical to the table, its always off a smidge, even though its up against the stops. Will probably have to shim trunion mounting under the table? Or, take a dremel tool with grind stone in it and grind the stops back then adjust to perfect 90 and leave it there.
For dust collection, installed after market bottom housing adapter that came with 4" port for dust sucker. Works pretty well. Did similar as far as closing up the back and slots in the side where the drive cable goes in. Also drilled front and rear legs on the left and bolted flat steel "U's" to hold the fence when not in use. And, built the usual complement of jigs and fixtures as needed.
Its still working well and as I said, the only real complaint is not being able to get the saw blade absolutely 90 vertical to the table but then too, haven't torn it apart to see if I can fix. Any suggestions on this issue?
Ernie

[Jim Grill]

Hi Ed.

Good idea introducing yourself like that. I'm new, like you, and also watched the forum for a while before I decided to become active last week. It seemed like every time I was googleing for something about WW I'd find myself on this forum. There is a lot of very good information here from very smart and experienced people who enjoy helping others.

I live in Bucks county, PA now. I have lived in Houston, TX and Atlanta, GA. I know what you mean. I like it up here in the north. It's just too darn hot and humid down there in the south.

We had some days in the high 80's this week, but it still cools off a lot at night and my garage stays pretty comfortable. I'd be dying in Houston or Hotlanta by this time of year with temps in the high 90's and humidity that could rust brand new tools in a matter of a few weeks.

I should probably follow your lead and properly introduce myself in a new thread some time. :)

[Ed Garrett]

Ernie,

Sounds like you and I have made some similar improvements.

I don't know if you are having the same problem, but at one point I too had trouble getting the blade vertical. When I tilted the blade and then tried to return it to vertical it would bind up with about one degree of tilt remaining. I believe the cause was sawdust on the tilt stop abutment under the table. I adjusted tilt stop calibration bolt (the recessed allen bolt a couple of inches forward of the table insert) to allow for excess "untilting" and then just used a machinist square to check for vertical.

When the precision of my woodworking reached a certain threshold I discovered that the machining of the cast iron top had allowed for a discernable dip in the center. I also found with a good straight edge that the cast iron surfaces to the left and right of the insert are roughly parallel, but not quite in the same plane. I keep all this in mind when I'm making fine adjustments. On the occasions I need an ultra precise edge I follow the ripped edge with a straight edge and router.

[Ed Garrett]

Jim,

You've got it right on the weather down here. Houston is about the same.

Coincidentally I'm going to Houston to see relatives in a few weeks. Do you remember any decent woodworking stores on the west side of Houston? I'll be staying with my sister who lives in a neighborhood off Highway 6 called Copperfield.

PS: The weather here is at an all time low. For two weeks we've had thick smoke from a fire to the east.

[Jim Grill]

Ed,

Copperfield is my old high school stomping ground. Small world.

There is a Woodcraft location on Hwy 290. It's not too far from Copperfield. There is also a Rockler in SW Houston. Those are the only two I know of. A google search did find a few others but I have never been to them.

You know how the blue and the orange borg always setup shop really close to one another? Well wait untill you see what they did at Hwy 6 and FM 529, right by Copperfield. They are right next door to each other in the same parking lot! It's hilarious!