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..
Paul Sellers plans, varnish, front.JPG
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..
Ash Scrap Project, box sides.JPG
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?
Ash Scrap Project, lid stock.JPG
Were ganged up, and trimmed to all the same length...removing the worst spots...
Ash Scrap Project, lid panel.JPG
Edges were jointed, while giving a fancy plane a workout (and me..)
March work day, shavings.JPG
Then some glue, cauls, and clamps...
March work day, panel glued up.JPG
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...
March work day, both need sharpened.JPG
Also wanted that little chisel tuned up....bevel needed to be a single slope. then a Unicorn hit it..
Unicorn system.JPG
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....

[steven c newman]

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

March Project, side panels.JPG
These 4, needed to be jointed, until I had panels for the 2 sides...
March Project, dry fit, sides.JPG
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,,,
March Project, side panel #1 glued up.JPG
As that freed up the clamps I needed...
March Project, Side panel #2 glued up.JPG
Stay tuned for the story of the clean-up.....I even dragged out a smooth plane

Needed to clean this sort of stuff up...
March Project, underside needs work.JPG
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..
March Project, flatten the lid, topside.JPG
Got close to smooth....Used the WR #62 for a little bit...
March Project, Underside smoothed out.JPG
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....
March Project, Back Panel ready to clean up.JPG
With the cauls coming off last....then back to the Jacks..
March Project, back panel cleaned up.JPG
I even dragged out a smoother...
March Project, smooth plane results.JPG
Millers Falls No. 9, Type 4 ( last of the GOOD types)
March Project, smooth plane used.JPG

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..
March Project, next up.JPG
Needed to come out of the clamps....without and cracking, groaning....
March Project, out of the clamps.JPG
Might take a while....meantime, lid needed trimmed to size..as all else will go from that...
March Project, Lid marked for size.JPG
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..
March Project, back trimmed to length.JPG
I could also trim the side panels to size....but....
March Project, slight differences.JPG
They have "issues".....stick them in the vise, and joint the edges...
March Project, Now they match.JPG
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....
March Project, back is too wide.JPG
Not quite...will have to plane the back down a bit...
March Project, checking a jointed edge.JPG
Make sure the edge is straight....Sides needed trimmed to length..and square..
Stay tuned for part 2...

[steven c newman]

Part 2: Sides checked for square...
March Project, ends not square.JPG
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
March Project, smoothed out.JPG
This time, it is the Millers Falls No. 9 doing the work...
March Project, front pieces.JPG
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...
March Project, Parts need work.JPG
Also means I need to joint the edges ( together, they came out a bit too wide..) and plane the faces a bit...
March Project, top front cleaned up.JPG
The Top Front didn't need too much....the Drawer Front?
March Project, Drawer front cleaned up.JPG
Took a bit....note the shavings pile....Planes needed?
March Project, today's planes.JPG
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
March Project, planes put away.JPG
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...

[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..
March Project, part line up.JPG
The Right side?
March Project, grain lined up right side.JPG
Not too far off? The left side?
March Project, grain line up, leftside.JPG
Just about what I am looking for....even the drawer front....

So...tools?
March Project, joinery tools.JPG
Should be enough to start..details?
March Project, joinery tools, details.JPG
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

[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...
March Project, side 1 layout.JPG
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..
March Project, baseline.JPG
Had a few layout tools..
March Project, layout tools.JPG
Gotta have a pencil sharpener, right? Laid out the Pins..
March Project, cut lines.JPG
At least the cut lines..get the shop stool set up..
March Project, shop stool ready.JPG
As I will be sitting down on the job, of course..
March Project, saw work.JPG
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..
March Project, Pins, half way chop.JPG
Then, flip over and complete the chops...
March Project, Pins done.JPG
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..
March Project, tails half chopped.JPG
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..
March Project, Tails done.JPG
And finish the tails....time for a dry fit...
March Project, dry fit 1.JPG
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..
March Project, 2nd dry fit corner.JPG
Lay this on it's back, and see how the upper front will line up..
March Project, next 2 corners.JPG
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..
March Project, floor rebate done.JPG
And, since the Wards 78 still has it's spur deployed, and the Stanley 45 T-20 does not...
March Project, plane set up.JPG
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..
March Project, reset the width.JPG
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..
March Project, jigged up.JPG
And start getting ...groovy..
March Project, getting groovy.JPG
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...
March Project, test fit, test piece.JPG
Will do, for now....which left this part..
March Project, next 2 corners.JPG
Which needs to be dovetailed in place, below this will be the front of a drawer....full with sides get pins, so...
March Project, more pins.JPG
But, only down to that groove. chop the pins, mark the tails, saw and chop the tails, and dry fit corner #3..
March Project, dry fit corner #3.JPG
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...
March Project, one more corner to go.JPG
Stay tuned

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...
March Project, grooved for bottom.JPG
Reset the plough with the short rods, and a new cutter...was able to clean the bottom of the grooves...
March Project, groove clean up.JPG
Now that the Veritas cutter will actually fit into a 1/4" groove. Three grooves done,,,the 4th corner needed pins made..
March Project, last pins.JPG
And the tails to match...
March Project, last tails.JPG
Did a dry fit...
March Project, 4 corners done.JPG
Of all 4 corners....then cut 2 pieces of 1/4" plywood...
March Project, bottom panel to size.JPG
One for the bottom of the box ( still debating on the type of drawer..)and..
March Project, compartment done.JPG
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...
The March Project. the glue up, 1.JPG
Letting this sit a day....then see what I need to do with the drawer....
The March Project, the glue up 2, end view.JPG
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..
The March Project, checked for square.JPG
had to level the top and bottom so things don't rock...
Fill a few spots...
The March Project, out of the clamps, side.JPG
Needed a joint made to fill another spot..
The March Project, filler strip, dado filler.JPG
Then a second rebate was needed..to go under the plywood bottom...
The March Project, rebate made.JPG
Then a dry fit...
The March Project, dry fit, filler 1.JPG
Or 2...
The March Project, underside filler strip.JPG
Then glue, a cheap brush to apply it, and a few clamps...
The March Project, filler glue up.JPG
Mark the drawer front for length...and cross cut...
The March Project, drawer front cross cut.JPG
Stay tuned, plenty more to come, today....worked from 0900hrs to 1200 hrs...back is sore..