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calcio posted:I'm very interested in this too. Does anyone have any good info on how and where to start? What things should I be looking for? You might try the boat building thread. http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3167412
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Aug 3, 2009 10:58
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calcio posted:I'm very interested in this too. Does anyone have any good info on how and where to start? What things should I be looking for? I got started building http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/guillemot/catalog/boat_building_plans/sg_night_heron_kayak_plans and petered out fairly early on. There used to be a really good link on the guillemot site to two different builds with very good general s&g kayak building info but I can't find it anymore. I actually ran aground on the lofting step. After I got my panels lofted out I did some test cuts and tried to fit them together. It rapidly became clear that I had made some mistake because no amount of stitch and glue was going to pull them together. Not sure exactly what I did wrong. I've actually been thinking about trying again. If 900 people haven't already recommended this, get http://www.amazon.com/Devlins-Boatbuilding-Build-Stitch-Glue/dp/0071579907/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249313311&sr=8-1 . It's a disorganized mess but devlin knows his poo poo. EDIT: I forgot to mention that the one thing I did get out of my experience was to invest in a really good jigsaw.
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Aug 3, 2009 17:39
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mcrandello posted:Dad always took a wet sponge or rag and went over it right after gluing until it was clean. You raise the grain a little that way but you're going to be sanding/scraping it again anyway, right? For what it's worth, this is what I've seen Norm Abram do for years on The New Yankee Workshop.
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Aug 7, 2009 02:42
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I just finished this earring tree for my wife. It is made from beech for the centre and maple for the plates. The bottom plate ended up being slightly different to the other two, but I had my remit changed half way through making it 
icky fucked around with this message at 00:20 on Aug 8, 2009 |
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Aug 7, 2009 20:51
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Cool, I wish I had a lathe.  I'm actually 350 miles from my shop and garden, have been for almost a month and for the foreseeable future. I've been told the only thing left alive in the garden is the cucumber pyramid and the okra. Hopefully the shop has fared better.
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Aug 7, 2009 23:46
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Loztblaz posted:The situation changed a little. I found some better plywood that's 3/4" inch oak hardwood plywood, and I'm using 1/2" MDF on the bottom. 3/4" wood screws would leave about half an inch of wiggle room, which makes me a lot more comfortable than just having a quarter inch left with a veneer on top. I'll have to sand up the MDF, but that's not a huge deal. When I made my current desk, I used 3/4" veneered maple plywood on top of 3/4" MDF and attached the two using 1 1/4" drywall screws. There's no dimpling or anything what-so-ever (I also pre-drilled every screw hole though)
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Aug 8, 2009 20:09
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dyne posted:When I made my current desk, I used 3/4" veneered maple plywood on top of 3/4" MDF and attached the two using 1 1/4" drywall screws. There's no dimpling or anything what-so-ever (I also pre-drilled every screw hole though) I went ahead and skipped the pre-drilling since it didn't seem necessary from testing it on the scrap. The desktop turned out great, now I get to spend a day in the retarded Texas heat assembling, sanding and staining! The best thing about making your own desk is customizing it. I'm putting in an iPhone dock flush with the rest of the desk, USB hub, and routering a cable channel to keep poo poo from hanging under it. Loztblaz fucked around with this message at 21:43 on Aug 8, 2009 |
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Aug 8, 2009 21:40
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I'm on the same track as you, Loztblaz. So far, the desk I'm planning has a hardwood plywood top and MDF base like yours. I was wondering, though: what are you supposed to do to protect the MDF layer from moisture (e.g., from the staining process)? I want to add some edge banding which will be stained with the top but touching the MDF layer, too. Should I be concerned?
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Aug 9, 2009 09:41
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MasonChumpia posted:I'm on the same track as you, Loztblaz. So far, the desk I'm planning has a hardwood plywood top and MDF base like yours. I was wondering, though: what are you supposed to do to protect the MDF layer from moisture (e.g., from the staining process)? I want to add some edge banding which will be stained with the top but touching the MDF layer, too. Should I be concerned? I just put some birch (I think) trim around the top. I'm going to be staining it tomorrow, planning on putting some tape over the first little bit of MDF that's near the trim, but other than that I'm not worried about it.
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Aug 9, 2009 09:54
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What's the easiest way of trimming a board down accurately? For example, I've got a piece that's 5 1/8" and it needs to be 5". Up until know I've been hitting up the shooting board but it's taking forever. I'm only using hand tools and so far I've only got a keyhole saw and a hardpoint ripsaw.
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Aug 10, 2009 09:25
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When wiping glue off with a wet sponge, you have to sand it well afterward otherwise glue residue will stay in the grain and mess up the finish, especially stain. But truthfully, that can happen even if you let it dry then scrape it off.
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Aug 10, 2009 17:20
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I have 150 holes to drill today. They're so I can fasten a couple dozen strips of plywood together.  I've got five or six 6'2" strips done with four holes each.  And I only have thirty-something left to do.   All this to make a lousy plywood top for these handsome desk cases. 
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Aug 22, 2009 22:23
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Barn Owl posted:All this to make a lousy plywood top for these handsome desk cases. What is the purpose of building a top like that?
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Aug 22, 2009 23:15
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There isn't really. I didn't want anything too fancy. The rest was made out of select pine. I drew the plans up on sketchup during a programming class. I just wanted something funky and thick to keep up proportions. I also considered stained cement, laminate flooring, tile mosaic, a bunch of fused glass I made, and sheet metal wrapped around sub-flooring. Doing it this way gives me 1.5" of solid[ish] wood top that if something happens to it; it will add character. I'm going to be doing glass cutting, homework, soldering, sculpting, and drafting on it. Any stains and burns will look pretty cool breaking up the stripes of the laminated plywood. I could have easily used up my cherry or maple stock but I didn't feel this project is that formal I guess.
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Aug 23, 2009 00:09
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I recently came across this dresser for cheap. When I bought it, it was bright, primary red, with the blue drawers. After much sanding, it now looks like this:  I was thinking of staining it, but haven't ever stained anything before. A quick google gave me tons of conflicting info, so I turn to the goons, who I trust more than anybody. I think the first thing I need to determine is wood type. Here's a close up of the top and side:   It's fairly light in color and I think it's a hardwood, but I'm not sure. Any advice is greatly appreciated! limegrnxj fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Aug 23, 2009 |
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Aug 23, 2009 22:17
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Barn Owl posted:Plywood stuff Heh, my Dad is doing an entire floor with that, minus the drilling.
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Aug 24, 2009 18:22
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limegrnxj posted:re: staining As always, I recommend dying over staining as it has so many advantages. Dye doesn't obscure the grain, it doesn't matter what type of wood it is (some woods will not take stain evenly), it is easier to apply. Just buy aniline dye, a cheap spray bottle (or reuse a clean Windex bottle), mix as specified with either water or alcohol (I used alcohol). Spray it on, wait a bit, wipe it down. Don't get it on your clothes, it will not wash out. On the other hand, sometimes you want to deemphasize the grain then you would want stain. wormil fucked around with this message at 23:04 on Aug 24, 2009 |
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Aug 24, 2009 23:01
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I am trying to learn a bit about working with wood, so I have made a couple of small things for my kitchen to try out some ideas. I have made a simple rolling pin on a lathe - just a straight cylinder about 550mm long - pretty easy really. I have also had a crack at a small chopping board - then to go one step better, I inlaid some text into it. What I want to know is, what kind of finish can I apply to these items? The wood used is Fijian Kauri - here are some links to info on it: http://www.halswelltimber.co.nz/species_Kauri.aspx http://www.nicks.net.nz/products/view/17/12 The rolling pin I have lightly oiled with some macadamia nut oil that I had lying around just to protect it from moisture while I figure out what to do next. The cheese board is raw wood. Obviously, whatever the finish is, it needs to be food safe and preferably water resistant - I'm not going to be putting these in the dishwasher, but they will need to be rinsed. What glue should I have used to stick the two sections of the cheese board together? I only had PVA to hand, but it is biscuit jointed. I am assuming that whatever glue I should have used to join the board together is the same as that for sticking the inlaid text in? There is bugger all clearance around the text - they are a tight fit. I can increase the clearance if need be. :edit Oh, and I meant to mention that the text shown here is a prototype - I intend to get a darker wood and re-do the letters so the word actually shows up once finished. I'm trying to find another readily available timber that is suitable. :/edit Here are some photos:  Click here for the full 728x509 image.  Click here for the full 715x365 image.  Click here for the full 835x560 image. Don't have any of the rolling pin... JimbobDobalina fucked around with this message at 07:36 on Aug 25, 2009 |
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Aug 25, 2009 07:28
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You can use mineral oil on the cutting boards and there are a variety of water resistant glues available (Gorilla Glue, Titebond II).
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Aug 25, 2009 07:35
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I use Tung oil on anything I make that will contact food. It's pretty easy to find and makes stuff really look amazing once you've got several coats on it. Even with a good tung oil finish I wouldn't leave anything submerged in water - just wash it off and dry it after use and you'll be fine.
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Aug 25, 2009 11:26
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With tung oil just beware of people with allergies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil#Food_contact_and_allergic_reactions
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Aug 25, 2009 23:58
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Alright, thanks for the info. I'd prefer not to use mineral oil, so I've got some pure tung oil on the way: http://www.supremeoils.co.nz/Pure%20Tung%20Oil.html Will see how that works out.
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Aug 26, 2009 05:26
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JimbobDobalina posted:Alright, thanks for the info. I'd prefer not to use mineral oil, so I've got some pure tung oil on the way:
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Aug 27, 2009 04:18
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limegrnxj posted:It's fairly light in color and I think it's a hardwood, but I'm not sure. Any advice is greatly appreciated! Hmm, guessing wood types is an art unto itself, but if in doubt guess oak. So I say, it's oak.
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Aug 27, 2009 08:55
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anaemic posted:Hmm, guessing wood types is an art unto itself, but if in doubt guess oak. So I say, it's oak.
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Aug 27, 2009 10:53
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The top looks like red oak, the sides are veneer.
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Aug 28, 2009 06:10
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I want to try box joints, but I don't have a dado blade for the tablesaw. I'm pretty sure I can whip up a jig for the router table, but I'm unsure if my router is powerful enough. What's the minimum HP required for that type of routing?
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Aug 29, 2009 01:59
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I do dovetails with a couple 1 1/2 horse Porter Cables. Since you ideally move somewhat slowly to avoid blowout on the back side of the cut, you don't really need a 50 horse diesel router for the application.
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Aug 29, 2009 15:35
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ChaoticSeven posted:Only out of curiosity, any particular reason you didn't want to use mineral oil? Not really a fan of petroleum based products near my food. I also won't use aluminium, or teflon or any of that sort of crap in my kitchen. Stainless steel, cast iron, and wood is the way forward! I just got given a couple of offcuts of Balau and Mahogany. I realise these are primarily furniture timbers, but is there any reason why I shouldn't use them for kitchen equipment? I want to use up the rest of my island kauri to make a chopping board, and inlay either the balau or mahogany into the centre. These are both hardwoods right? Anything in particular I need to know about working with these? I want to route the inlay into a shape, will either of these timbers be prone to splintering or burning if I hit them with a high speed steel cutter? So far I have only cut kauri with the tools I am using (a ridiculously overpowered CNC milling machine and an endless array of HSS cutters) and it cut really nicely, bang on size, no splintering and only a touch of burning when I had the table feed rate set wrong.
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Aug 29, 2009 23:00
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I only recognize mahogany, which is rot resistant and yes, a hard wood. Mahogany is a preferred furniture wood because it is straight grained and easy to work. Never heard of the other woods.
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Aug 30, 2009 08:26
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wormil posted:The top looks like red oak, the sides are veneer. I though that veneer was the stuff that only looked like wood that went over pressed wood? I decided to just put a clear protective coat on it, which gave it a dark orange, amber short of tint I guess. Wasn't exactly the "clear" I was expecting, but I think it looks ok.
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Aug 31, 2009 01:54
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limegrnxj posted:I though that veneer was the stuff that only looked like wood that went over pressed wood? A veneer is a thin layer of wood. I could explain it but wiki does it better. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneer_%28wood%29
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Aug 31, 2009 07:24
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If youre making your chopping board out of mahogany just make sure it is very well sealed. Unfinished mahogany is a notorious irritant to the skin, and some varieties, like American mahogany can cause nausea and vomiting. There's an off-putting long list here about some of the common hazards of different wood types, but its worth noting that most of these warnings are about exposure to dust and shavings in a workshop, so a properly sealed finished piece should be low risk in most applications.
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Aug 31, 2009 14:06
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I could use some advice. I've been trying to get into making walking staffs. What I've been doing is cutting proper branches from fallen trees in a hiking park near here, wittling away the bark to the white core, and now I'm to the point where I want to start doing intricate carvings on them. (really I'd like to do complete scenes along the entire staff) I've been using a cheap set of woodcarving chisels with a hammer to make grooves. I feel like I don't have much control over the grooves, and it splits the wood sometimes. (Also I usually have no clue what type of wood I'm working with.) Is there a powertool, preferably handheld (like a dremmel maybe?) that would give me some better control and an easier go of it? This is the kind of thing I'm after: 
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Aug 31, 2009 20:36
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Mouse Has Knife posted:I could use some advice. Go to Woodcraft.com and search for "Foredom" and "Power Carver".
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Sep 1, 2009 20:59
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quote:you don't really need a 50 horse diesel router for the application. Regardless of the project, THIS is always a welcome tool in your arsenal. 
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Sep 8, 2009 17:26
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Lunk Alarm
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Hi, I'm a novice, and I'm trying to learn to do more joining. I've read the thread and I'm wondering about the Kreg pocket screw jigs. I've pretty much decided that it would be worth it for me to pick one up. Can anyone explain to me what the differences/limitations are between the R3 Jr, the K4 and the K3? There's a very significant difference in price, obviously and in what comes in the box, but I've never used one of these before and I'd like some idea of how they differ in function and whatnot before investing in one.
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Sep 11, 2009 14:56
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My girlfriend and I decided our giant wal-mart bookcase wasn't quite cutting it anymore, and was limiting how we could arrange furniture in our bedroom. Having never built anything before, I came up with a simple plan using just dimensional pine from Lowes and borrowed corner clamps. I decided to make two, one from 1x10 and one from 1x8. Click here for the full 1006x751 image. As soon as I finished building the first one I loved it so much I went back out and got the 1x10 for the second. There were some shelves you can see that are not quite level, they have been fixed since this picture.  Click here for the full 1002x753 image. We then set up the room the way we wanted, and realized we had nothing to put an alarm clock/lamp on now.. we had been using a dresser before. Using scrap/leftover wood from both bookcases I came up with..  Click here for the full 533x755 image. I tried some different types of mounting with the nightstand that were posted on one of the first pages of this thread, pocket screws ended up being my favorite. We still have to put some protective finish on the bookcases, I don't know what we are going to use yet. I've since bought a drill, my own set of corner clamps, some bar clamps.. my next goal is a router which I am going to need for my next project, which I used some 1x2 to frame out.. a giant dresser  Click here for the full 982x756 image. I'm going to try some different jointing techniques I haven't used yet, and also incorporate nice trim. After the dresser the plan is cedar hopechest.. but I'm going to take my sweet time on the dresser. Having zero carpentry/furniture building experience I'm quite pleased with the way everything has come out so far. I already have a list of things to be built, but I'm taking my time on each as I don't want to rush and have it come out lovely.
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Sep 11, 2009 17:28
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Carta posted:Having zero carpentry/furniture building experience I'm quite pleased with the way everything has come out so far. Nice job, really. If you haven't already, you should consider attaching those bookcases to the wall so they don't tip over. Saint Melmoth posted:Hi, I'm a novice, and I'm trying to learn to do more joining. I've read the thread and I'm wondering about the Kreg pocket screw jigs. I've pretty much decided that it would be worth it for me to pick one up. Can anyone explain to me what the differences/limitations are between the R3 Jr, the K4 and the K3? There's a very significant difference in price, obviously and in what comes in the box, but I've never used one of these before and I'd like some idea of how they differ in function and whatnot before investing in one. The cheaper set comes with a vice grip like hand clamp that works very well but is slower than the lever clamp. I have what would now be called the R3 Jr except I didn't get a case with mine. It would be worth the extra money for the K3 or K4. Someday soon I'll be buying the K3 to complement mine but I've lived with the smaller set for years.
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Sep 11, 2009 22:40
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Saint Melmoth posted:Hi, I'm a novice, and I'm trying to learn to do more joining. I've read the thread and I'm wondering about the Kreg pocket screw jigs. I've pretty much decided that it would be worth it for me to pick one up. Can anyone explain to me what the differences/limitations are between the R3 Jr, the K4 and the K3? There's a very significant difference in price, obviously and in what comes in the box, but I've never used one of these before and I'd like some idea of how they differ in function and whatnot before investing in one. Check out Rockler if you're going to buy one right now. They have a 20% off coupon good until 9/13 and I believe it will work on the Kreg kit. The code is right on their website. I'm on the fence about buying it myself. The full kit for $112 is a pretty good deal, I'm just not sure how much I'd use it. On a completely unrelated note, I took the day off work today and went with my Dad and his buddies on their weekly trip to the scrap yard. I hit the jackpot and found what looked like a pickup truck load of hardware from ready to assemble furniture - all brand new and in bags. I probably got two dozen face frame hinges and some really nice looking knobs for practically nothing. I'm going to see what kind of quality they are and if they're decent, I'll have Dad get me a bunch more next week when they go.
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Sep 11, 2009 22:58
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