Coolmeadow Creations Shop Rehab

[Jim O'Dell]

OK, here's where I am on the extension. I got sidetracked last weekend with a tree that started coming down in the back yard. I cut as much off and up as I could, but had to wait for the power company to come take the service line to the shop down (separate service from the house) so I could drop the rest of the tree. They did that Monday, and I dropped the tree Monday and Tuesday nights. It's still all over the back yard and will be for a while. DSCN2679.jpg This tree was a good 45' to the tips. (Bradford Pear)
So that's why I'm just now getting this laminated. I put it in place to check some things and get it basically level. I'm trying to decide if I want to drill the end of the cast iron wing to help hold it in place/snug the table up to the extension. DSCN2683.jpg DSCN2684.jpg Did I show the slots that were routed into the sides of the cabinet in an earlier picture? This is what they were for. DSCN2685.jpg Gives 2 wide adjustable shoulders for the table to sit on. Then it will attach to the front angle iron and rear rail. I still need a chamfer router bit to mimic the angle of the front of the angle iron, and seal the exposed Oak that is on that edge, and the bottom and side to the table with some poly. Might use some Waterlox on the Oak. I still need to measure the angle, but I think it's 30 degrees. I'll have to route from the edge side though. That bothers me a little. Not sure I want to try it up on edge on the router table. But if I bury the bit into the fence, if the top moves it just won't cut at all, instead of cutting too deep. Might just have to make a jig for the router and do it on the cut off table. We'll see.
I used the little Hitachi fixed base router that was a rebate with the 10" slider to flush cut the edges of the laminate this time instead of the PC plunge router. Much easier to handle. That's a nice little router!
Doubt I'll get much else done this weekend. Oh, I did build the hatch door for the cyclone closet overhang. Got some slide latches today so I can secure it up and out of the way. Hope you all are having a great weekend in the shop! Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, my idea with the slots to adjust and hold the extension top was a good idea...they just wouldn't work properly. I had to add two pieces of 2X below it, one on each side of the cabinet, each with two t-nuts, one on each end, and a bolt that pushes against the original piece shown above. Once adjusted, then I lock the knobs down and it holds very well. DSCN2717.jpg

So while I was adding the extension table to the saw, I decided I might as well go ahead and move the fence down. DSCN2712.jpgDSCN2713.jpgDSCN2714.jpgDSCN2716.jpg It is supposed to be a 50" factory rip, but the most I felt safe with was a little over 49. I now have almost a full 65". I've never used a fence to the left of the blade, and just don't understand needing to. So now that is leveled out and attached. The blade is set to the left miter slot. (Thanks for the loan of the Master Plate Bill Huber!) and I think I have the fence adjusted, also to the left miter slot. I see that I will need to replace my fence face now, or at least do some adjusting. It varies close to a total of 0.1 down the entire length. Lots of peaks and valleys along the way. It will probably do fine, but If I'm going to the trouble of making it right, I might as well make it right. But I can play with that as I go. I might pull the face off this afternoon and see what the steel looks like and measures out without the face and go from there. Hope you are having a great weekend! Jim.

[Joe Wiliams]

Lookin' great Jim!

[Bruce Seidner]

Jim,

what is the dark laminate you have built your TS extension top out of? And, where did you get it? I would appreciate the information and likely did not need to start a separate thread had I seen this first.

[Jim O'Dell]

It's just black laminate...I'm thinking WilsonArt. I get this at the Home Depot in Arlington TX. The 5 or 6 closer stores to me don't carry it. Several of the Lowe's here do, but not in black. The green on the wall is also from a Home Depot that was closing out all their laminate. They had about 20 sheets of this, and I should have bought more. It was 1/2 price. The black runs 42.00 for a 4 X 8 sheet. Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Sure is nice that the weather is cooling down some. I've gotten a little work done in the shop the last 2 weekends. I'm a little over half way done with the wall covering in the finishing room. The ceiling, and what amounts to the 2 12' walls are done, with the 2 14' walls left to go. It's not quite that specific, but that's about what the square footage would add up to. I took 4 pictures, but not a single one was usable. I guess there is too much stuff in the way in the foreground for the walls to be in focus. I've basically moved stuff around so I have enough room to work on one wall, then move some more to get to the next.
I have to work next week, and it went from 4 1/2 hrs once every7 weeks to 6 1/2 hours once every 3 weeks. When the sales managers get to have a say about service, they always screw it up!!! So I don't know if I'll get to go after any more OSB or have time in the shop or not. LOML has her first Chemo treatment on Thursday, so we'll have to see how it goes for her. Jim.

[Rick Potter]

Great job, Jim.

I especially like the drawer unit and laminate table setup.

Rick Potter

PS: The fence to the left of the blade is basically for those of us with right tilt saws.

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[Kelly C. Hanna]

Jim,

All the best to your wife, hope she beats the monster quickly!

I have to work next week, and it went from 4 1/2 hrs once every7 weeks to 6 1/2 hours once every 3 weeks.

I don't quite understand this part, but at face value that schedule sounds like a dream!

[Jim O'Dell]

Kelly, that is on top of the 50 hours a week we already work, and is our Saturday off. It just means that that week, we miss a day off. And because of the change in schedule, we now miss twice as many days off, and longer hours. NOW, that may still be a dream for someone like you that has your own business, and works 6 or 7 days a week and 80 to 100 hours. But it cuts into my limited shop time! Jim.

[David Helm]

Hi Jim, Hope the chemo is going well. Sounds to me like you're working way too much. Slow down and smell the coffee (or at least drink it)!

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Kelly, that is on top of the 50 hours a week we already work, and is our Saturday off. It just means that that week, we miss a day off. And because of the change in schedule, we now miss twice as many days off, and longer hours. NOW, that may still be a dream for someone like you that has your own business, and works 6 or 7 days a week and 80 to 100 hours. But it cuts into my limited shop time! Jim.

Yeah...still a dream!! Cutting shop time isn't cool!