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Thread: I get paid to play with tools now. First job- arched mahogany doors x 56

  1. #1
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    I get paid to play with tools now. First job- arched mahogany doors x 56

    I took an early retirement from my job, and on a whim called up a guy who has a high-end custom Millwork shop to see if he needed help. Well, I am now doing what I love full-time and I could not be happier. This shop has some amazing equipment, and finally I have the tools and space to actually make stuff. My first job has been making 28 arched doors with matching screen doors and arched jambs, all out of mahogany. It all starts with rough sawn 8/4 mahogany in 16’ lengths, and I resaw, plane, and shape it to make all the parts. I am very proud to say that the first set of doors fit perfectly.

    To those watching my boat build- it has been on hold due to many things happening, but now that I have access to all these tools, things are about to get real.

    3DB5ADCE-7BF4-4FF7-9EE1-320C7DEB3B57.jpg B0142D56-27BE-4A14-AC39-4273EB5057A2.jpgA5124388-9FD3-4984-AB7E-38E24AAF20B5.jpg B47AE6AE-D2E6-48D5-ACE4-BA6315F6F6BE.jpg87DD9B52-6DFB-47E3-821E-42630FDC79D6.jpgAFBBEE48-0193-4C4C-97F6-3DA9B1D36D83.jpg

    For or those that have followed my posts over the years, you know I have a very small shop at home, and this has been a real dream come true to play with these machines all day. I’m really proud of the doors, and they fit exactly perfect as per plans with 1/8” gap all around and all measurements finished out exactly to plans, which was a bit of work with an arched door. Working with mahogany, that’s a real challenge because it has so much stored tension. I have had it literally audibly pop and split when it was being sawn. I make all pieces 1/4” oversized, sticker it for a few days, then finish to final dimension.

    14 sets of doors, each set containing two entry and two screen doors. I put some boatbuilding skills to use steam bending and laminating the arches.

  2. #2
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    Here is a glue up of an arch for a window for the same project.
    62696154-EA7E-4ABD-9BD8-18F414E9D76D.jpg

    I built a router table to do the inside curve on these parts but later built a similar fence for the shaper once I got the correct profiles for it.
    152077EC-46D2-4E43-BE5C-EAF6D9FDCA7A.jpg

    Closeup of the screen doors showing the perfect fit. I was so happy. I admit I was nervous when they went together because there are so many variables that could go wrong, but it all fit.
    6756F28B-C46F-47C2-894E-BBAE06CE3D33.jpg

    I built a left and right hinge jig to simplify getting the hinge mortises exact on left and right doors. They are not through mortised, so there is a need to stop the cut before the inside edge, which meant left and right side had to have a jig. Hard to explain- but it worked.


    97CD857A-3287-4F67-8D70-0C755BC98EB8.jpg

  3. #3
    Malcolm,
    Glad you're back and glad to hear you are thoroughly enjoying yourself!
    The windows great! Some day I'm gonna learn to do curved work and steam bending.

    Will you still have time for building custom boards for customers, or is that on hold too?

    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    Malcolm,
    Glad you're back and glad to hear you are thoroughly enjoying yourself!
    The windows great! Some day I'm gonna learn to do curved work and steam bending.

    Will you still have time for building custom boards for customers, or is that on hold too?

    Fred
    I may crank a few wood surfboards out for friends and family, but it isn’t a moneymaker.

  5. #5
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    Malcom,
    I too am glad you're back to posting! I am wondering if your friend needs another "worker".
    Let him know I am available for 3 months every year (Jan., Feb., Mar,). I need no pay, just room and board!
    You lucky feller!

    Bruce
    Epilog TT 35W, 2 LMI SE225CV's
    CorelDraw 4 through 11
    CarveWright
    paper and pencils

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Volden View Post
    Malcom,
    I too am glad you're back to posting! I am wondering if your friend needs another "worker".
    Let him know I am available for 3 months every year (Jan., Feb., Mar,). I need no pay, just room and board!
    You lucky feller!

    Bruce
    Ya gotta ride the storms out in summer to get accepted around here. (Haha). Here is a taunt- after retiring, I took some time to sail. It was just awful. I hated every minute of it.
    1EA454C1-58C3-43D5-B7D8-04811BDB00AB.jpg

    By by the way, here is the coolest bandsaw ever- made specifically for resawing. Look at the size of that blade! I put my hand there for reference. I am an extra large glove size. It scared me to put my hand by that blade even not running. It looks like it could jump out and bite you. I imagine it growling.
    46CE48A0-D9E1-405E-A6A2-633FFFED7BE8.jpg D04E0753-DDA6-4F0E-B2F7-8744D510D72F.jpg

    I’m getting paid peanuts, but I am really having fun. Sure beats desk work.

  7. #7
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    Glad to see you posting again and enjoying life Malcom!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    It’s great to get paid to play.
    Some Blue Tools
    Some Yellow Tools
    A Grizzly Collection
    ShapeokoXL
    Blue and White 50 Watt

  9. #9
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    You are completely justified to be proud of your work. Just beautiful. I bet you'll be looking forward to something else after all 28 doors are done.

  10. #10
    Congratulations! I've always liked doing architectural millwork. Sounds like a good fit for you.

  11. #11
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    Malcolm, I am so pleased to hear how well you are responding to therapy. Do you have room for another patient? My wife will happily pay my airfare

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

    p.s. the OT looks very cool.

  12. #12
    Nice work.

    What species of mahogany are you working with that is so ornery?

  13. #13
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    Oct 2007
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    Coastal Southern Maine
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    Your craftsmanship is outstanding. It looks like the shop owner & you were a great fit.

  14. #14
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    Mar 2014
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    That's very nice work. Doors are so tricky, they pull on the hinges and the gaps can be unpredictable.

    How did you account for this?

    And congratulations on your new life.

  15. #15
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    Congratulations on both the retirement (I've really been enjoying mine!) and the opportunity to have a "second career" doing something you love with nice tools and the space to use them!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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