Creeker's Past Week's Accomplishments

[Dennis Peacock]

30 Apr 2018
Greetings,
It's been a very busy week at the day job as well as getting yard work done around the house. My new grinder hasn't showed up yet because the shipping company lost 2 full pallets of grinders from the manufacturer. My hope is that it will ship to me this week.
Helped #3 son work on his motorcycle and he then decided that he'd help me work on mine. We got both of the bikes fixed up and then he wanted to take The LOML and me to a local shop for frozen custard treat. It's really nice when your kids treat you with respect and the a grateful heart.
Now that my injured knee has healed up, the LOML and I are starting back at the local gym. I sure don't like going but I sure do like the benefits of working out at the gym.

Back to the day grind today and the weather is going to be nice.

That's it for me, so what did YOU do this past week?

Best of weeks to you all.

[Jim Becker]

Wow...the last week was chock full of things, including filling my head to the brim and beyond with great information, new insight into the Vectric software I will be using with my CNC machine and inspiring ideas for things I can do with said machine. Most of that was because I attended the 2018 Aspire Camp at Jim McGrew's place in Columbia SC. This was a three day event and TOTALLY work the time and travel. Anyone using Vectric's software should seriously consider attending this event next year and beyond. 75+ folks (and one cute dog) from the US and Canada attended this year's event, including several 'Creekers. SMC's Keith Otten gave a very well received presentation on the ADA sign opportunities, too.

Prior to that travel, I finally got to spend some time with my new machine and will continue with that this week now that I have a better handle on things. I also helped out a friend who's building some custom bi-fold doors for his new kitchen (the one I was commissioned for the "kitchen continent top") by spending a few hours kitting out the components and cutting the Domino mortises. This is 1" poplar and once built will be an Asian influenced design that mirrors their custom range hood as well as other room elements.

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[John K Jordan]

As for your problem grinder, I wondered if you checked the shaft and shoulder on the left end with a dial indicator. Perhaps there is a burr or irregularity that could be filed. Also, I had a CBN wheel that ran true on the Tormek only after I rotated the big washer that goes on the shaft before the nut and found a position that worked well when tightened. I suspect the nut and the washer were not perfect. (no room for the spherical washer set on that one)

I had one woodturning student session last week and prepared for a demo for next week by turning a couple of pieces. Installed hardware in a new shower, prepped a room for moving a wall, had fun in the shop and on the 4-wheeler and swing with two grandsons, and finally got a few acres mowed after the rain quit. Repaired an electric shear for a friend in preparation for llama shearing season. A rich uncle left me a few million dollars. (Just kidding on that one.)

JKJ

30 Apr 2018
Greetings,
It's been a very busy week at the day job as well as getting yard work done around the house. My new grinder hasn't showed up yet because the shipping company lost 2 full pallets of grinders from the manufacturer. My hope is that it will ship to me this week.
Helped #3 son work on his motorcycle and he then decided that he'd help me work on mine. We got both of the bikes fixed up and then he wanted to take The LOML and me to a local shop for frozen custard treat. It's really nice when your kids treat you with respect and the a grateful heart.
Now that my injured knee has healed up, the LOML and I are starting back at the local gym. I sure don't like going but I sure do like the benefits of working out at the gym.

Back to the day grind today and the weather is going to be nice.

That's it for me, so what did YOU do this past week?

Best of weeks to you all.

[Corey Pelton]

Hey guys!

Hope everyone had a fun and productive weekend! Knocked out my first project with the new j/p combo. It's running like a champ! Anyway, had a friend that needed an outdoor table, and liked the Family Handyman's trestle, so I cranked it out. Changed up the breadboard and stretcher a bit, as I didn't care for the look of exposed screws, and my friend didn't like the through tenon of the stretcher. Laminated some white and red oak for the breadboards. Turned out well.

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[Jay Larson]

Not much going on in the woodworking shop this past week, but that doen't mean I wasn't busy.

Now that the snow is gone, as of Friday, we are outside looking at things. So I was busy designing and prepping for a camp firewood rack. Got a couple of pieces of 3/4 X 1 1/2" steel cut during the week.

This weekend, a friend of mine was residing his house, so I helped him out. Since I was the one with the 'most' - read any - experience putting in doors, I got volunteered to do that task. First one went good, second one we had to raise the header 3/4" so the door would clear the raised floor. And the third was in the garage. The opening JUST cleared the door. Fortunately, the floor sloped a little, as the opening was 1/2" out of plumb. Got the door in, shimmed it as much as I could, (two shims) and the door fits the jambs square. I would have tried to make the opening wider, but it was sheathed on the inside too.

Got home from that, and I went to the outbuilding to weld up the firewood rack. Pulled out the welder, made sure I had the supplies, pulled down my helmet and checked that. Dang, the batteries for the auto dim are dead. OK, I will get started making some brackets for some rock sliders for my Jeep. Got them cut with the plasma, and went to clean them up. Switched to a new wheel in the grinder, put it on the bench, where it promptly rolled off. Right on the new wheel, that is now in three pieces. Time to go in....

Finally, last night, I put a new Blu-ray player in the entertainment center, and got that all configured. In the process, I straightened out some of the wiring, and checked all the connections. I was even able to get the VCR hooked up for my fiancee. She still has a couple of workout videos that she likes, so that was important.

[John Sanford]

Saturday, went to Home Depot to finish out the Track Saw Saga of 2018, and get some components to complete my cyclone build. After some interesting contortions on the part of the folks at HD, the TSS is done. $399 (+ tax) for the Makita Cordless Track Saw, with 55" guide rail and four 5.0ah batteries. I ordered a second 55" rail, along with the joiner and DeWalt track clamps earlier in the week.

Secured all the expected to be needed HVAC and pipe components for the cyclone, headed home with a stop at a wing joint for supper. (Too late for lunch {which I had missed}, too early for dinner, thus, supper.) First order of business was disassembling the Delta DC and sorting out the connection between the cyclone and impeller unit. The impeller has a 5" inlet, the cyclone a 6" outlet. Original plan was to do 6" at both ends, but it turns out that would have involved permanent and potentially catastrophic modifications of the inlet. So, back to HD to return the assorted bits for the impeller end and pick up a 6" > 5" reducer. Of course, the various elements don't exactly fit because of ID/OD chaos, but a pair of tin snips and soon I had the reducer fitting onto the 5" inlet AND accepting the 6" flex hose. Using my heat gun and a rotary rasp on a 2' long section of 4" ABS and I had a straight 2' shot into the cyclone via a 5" > 4" reducer. Called it a night, with a plan to weld the pipe fittings to the cart on Sunday and fit everything together.

Sunday I welded 5" steel pipe nipples to the cart, using the uprights of the DC to get the spacing correct. Unfortunately, while the spacing between the legs of the uprights was correct, I also centered them on the cart. Turns out that the INLET to the impeller is off center. I had to do a bit of unplanned cutting account for that. With my son's help, reattached the uprights to the impeller unit and hoisted it into position, dropping the legs into the nipples, and then I welded the sheet with the second set of nipples into position. All of Sunday's welding was done using flux core wire, the first time I've ever used it. Yes, flux core is as messy as rumoured. And ugly, really ugly. It's also a semi-forgiving process, because I managed to all of Sunday's welding in semi-idiot mode, i.e. without reversing the polarity. I've still got a little more welding to do next weekend, so I'll reverse the polarity and should get better results. Last, I cut and fit the flex hose to length (actually, a bit long) and managed to get the connection between the cyclone and impeller made and duct taped on the top.

So, what's left? I'll need to weld two sheets on the bottom of the cart to better support the drum, the sheets are already cut. Make and install a 1/4" shim for one of the casters to account for some cattywompusness of the cart, plus get the right fastening hardware in place for the casters. Make a "keeper" for the cyclone itself for when the drum is removed for emptying. Make a wee support arm for the 2' straight so the weight of it and whatever flex will be attached to it isn't all on the SDD itself. Install the HEPA filter. Test. Seal any gaps. Test some more. Crack open a cold one.

The wonderful thing though is it now LOOKS like a cyclone!!

[Tony Pisano]

I cut up an 18" diameter tree that blew down at the end of the street. It took lots of trips in the trunk and back seat of the car. My intended use is next years start for maple sugaring, but it looks so nice. I grabbed one chunk and am attempting to carve it into bowl. I also made a tongue drum and a cube drum, but didn't think to take any pictures before delivering. I could still get some, but here is the bowl progress, with a long row to hoe still.