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I've got a quick question related to the sunglass project I posted earlier. I'm planning on using a dark stain on them, then putting a top coat over that. What coating (shellac, polyurethane, etc) should I use if I want a high gloss finish that safe to have touching my face regularly? Also, does anyone know of a place to find for the temples? My fallback plan is to tear some out another pair of glasses, but I'd prefer to get new ones. The only source I've come across is a Chinese website that has minimum orders of like 15 pairs, and the shipping costs more than the parts. I've tried a couple of eyeglass shops hoping they had spare parts but didn't have any luck. I'll keep pressing on that front unless someone has a better idea.
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Oct 5, 2014 01:22
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Here are some progress pics of the entrance table I'm working on. All mortise and tenon joints.   Detail of the breadboard for the top.  All that's left is the corbels, I was really hoping that the bottom stretchers would have looked better. They're identical, but because of the angle and gap between them the one side looks way more open than the other. 
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Oct 5, 2014 20:39
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Anyone here ever carved and finished a wooden ring? Looking for advice about finishing techniques, but any information would be helpful. I have a 2x2x6 cocobolo blank to work with. I want to keep the ring a simple band, but how small can I realistically make it without it being too fragile?
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Oct 7, 2014 00:57
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GooderSan posted:Anyone here ever carved and finished a wooden ring? Looking for advice about finishing techniques, but any information would be helpful. I have a 2x2x6 cocobolo blank to work with. I want to keep the ring a simple band, but how small can I realistically make it without it being too fragile? Lots of YouTube videos on making rings, they tend to be fragile unless you make them from lamination.
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Oct 7, 2014 01:25
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GooderSan posted:Anyone here ever carved and finished a wooden ring? Looking for advice about finishing techniques, but any information would be helpful. I have a 2x2x6 cocobolo blank to work with. I want to keep the ring a simple band, but how small can I realistically make it without it being too fragile? Like Wormil said, there are tons of tutorials out there on just this subject. These are some (rejects) I have on hand. This first one is black palm and fairly small. I think that's the smallest I've gone for a ring. The layered one is cocobolo and purpleheart. I feel I could go fairly small on the cocobolo, too. I don't have a lathe or whatever to get a really nice uniform outside finish. I get them down to a fairly small outer diameter with whatever, be it dremel sanding, hackzall, or spindle sander, then I usually file/sand it down to the final diameter. For the inner diameter, I pick out the spade bit that's closest to the ring size I need. If I ever try to hand file or sand too much out of it, it always ends up looking hosed and out of round (like the black palm pictured below.) So I really, really try to take my time with that.   Out of round.   Tried going for a diagonal sort of thing. Not pronounced enough so it just looks weird. As for finishing, I've been using shellac. Pre-mixed from Home Depot because I'm a scrub. Nah, but really. The first ring I made I used spray-can shellac and it turned out great. Now I've been using a can of the pre-mix stuff and I like it. The black palm one is just sanded with micro mesh pads to the finest grit I have, no finish or anything. E:Sorry if the pictures aren't the best. It's late and it's just my phone. And I don't know if these qualify as "small" but I hope it helps? Rotten Cookies fucked around with this message at 07:13 on Oct 7, 2014 |
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Oct 7, 2014 07:03
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So I'd like to make some dovetail joints (planning to make a key cabinet), but I don't have a router. Not sure if I should get a dovetail saw or try and rig something up for my table saw. I was looking at dovetail and tenon saws and there seems to be somewhat of a competition between western and japanese style saws. Which one would be easier for a beginner to start with?
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Oct 7, 2014 08:32
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To add to my earlier question, I found this for 28 euros somewhat locally, would you buy it for said price? https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnberg68/sets/72157647479642159/
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Oct 7, 2014 10:07
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His Divine Shadow posted:So I'd like to make some dovetail joints (planning to make a key cabinet), but I don't have a router. Not sure if I should get a dovetail saw or try and rig something up for my table saw. A dovetail saw or smaller tenon saw would be better I think since they are such small cuts. Western saws cut on the push while Japanese saws cut on the push. I think it's just a matter of preference. I feel like I have more control on the push. You'll probably have better luck finding used Western saws than Japanese too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuybp4y5uTA
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Oct 7, 2014 16:37
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Cpt.Wacky posted:A dovetail saw or smaller tenon saw would be better I think since they are such small cuts. Western saws cut on the push while Japanese saws cut on the push. I think it's just a matter of preference. I feel like I have more control on the push. You'll probably have better luck finding used Western saws than Japanese too. This. This is the exact reason why I started getting into woodworking with hand tools. Especially the "make everything fit everything else" school of woodworking in contrast to "exactly an inch between cuts" kind of crap. It seems super easy if you have the basics and if you gently caress up, you cut a little too much instead of your finger is on the floor. Has anyone read any of the woodwright guides? If so, what were your opinions. I am down for doing most things with hand tools, but cutting a tree down will be a job for captain chainsaw and the hatchet boys. ptier fucked around with this message at 17:30 on Oct 7, 2014 |
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Oct 7, 2014 17:28
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I'm actually a bit more of the Wandel school of thought, I like using my machines and my table saw in particular. Sometimes I wanna work with hand tools as well however. I am a subscriber to Paul Sellers newsletter and while he makes wonderful stuff he sure does pour it on thickly I think. Still I find his writings enjoyable and very educational. Edit: I'm probably gonna go for a Veritas tenon saw, new, cheap and very high quality from all accounts, even Sellers recommends them as a first saw. Question is if I go with the normal or fine tooth saw? His Divine Shadow fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Oct 7, 2014 |
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Oct 7, 2014 18:39
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His Divine Shadow posted:Edit: I'm probably gonna go for a Veritas tenon saw, new, cheap and very high quality from all accounts, even Sellers recommends them as a first saw. Question is if I go with the normal or fine tooth saw? Which particular saws? Sharpening gets harder if the teeth are too small.
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Oct 8, 2014 01:51
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The differences are mentioned here it's the 14 and 20 TPI. I am leaning towards the 14tpi http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,42884&p=64007
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Oct 8, 2014 05:07
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I would go 14 tpi. I'm still new to woodworking, but so far my lee valley back saws have served me quite well. I got a pair of saws (cross cut and rip) in the carcass size. http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=66066&cat=1,42884,68511&ap=1 They have been awesome for everything I've thrown at them so far.
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Oct 8, 2014 11:57
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After a very sawdust-filled few days, I am intent on finally getting a dust separator. Anyone have experience with either the Oneida or the Rockler separators? Any other suggestions? $50 for the Oneida, $100 for the full kit.  $60 for the Rockler dustright kit. 
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Oct 8, 2014 14:55
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I love my dust deputy. It really does separate 99.9999% of the dust.
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Oct 8, 2014 15:01
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Did you buy the kit or just the separator and build your own?
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Oct 8, 2014 15:03
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I have the dust deputy and I think it works well. I just bolted it to a 5 gallon plastic bucket that has a screw on lid (got it with some pool chemicals)
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Oct 8, 2014 15:36
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bimmian posted:Did you buy the kit or just the separator and build your own? My wife bought me the kit a couple years ago. If you buy just the separator it does not come with the gasket. I told Oneida this is stupid.
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Oct 8, 2014 15:54
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Seems like the extra $50 for the kit isn't worth it. 5 gallon bucket, scavenged gasket, bolts, extra few minutes to cut a hole in the lid != $50. Thanks for the input
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Oct 8, 2014 16:20
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I'm starting to look into carving (mainly spoons and basic stuff). Does anyone have a good recommendation for a straight carving knife and a hook knife to get started? I don't need anything crazy awesome, but ya know no Chinese crap that is gonna snap and stab me in the eye.
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Oct 8, 2014 17:10
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ptier posted:I'm starting to look into carving (mainly spoons and basic stuff). Does anyone have a good recommendation for a straight carving knife and a hook knife to get started? I don't need anything crazy awesome, but ya know no Chinese crap that is gonna snap and stab me in the eye. Mora have pretty good reviews and they're cheap. e: I might be biased, being scandinavian
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Oct 8, 2014 21:56
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ptier posted:I'm starting to look into carving (mainly spoons and basic stuff). Does anyone have a good recommendation for a straight carving knife and a hook knife to get started? I don't need anything crazy awesome, but ya know no Chinese crap that is gonna snap and stab me in the eye. Do you have a good book you'd recommend?
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Oct 8, 2014 22:54
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bimmian posted:Seems like the extra $50 for the kit isn't worth it. 5 gallon bucket, scavenged gasket, bolts, extra few minutes to cut a hole in the lid != $50. Thanks for the input Don't even need a gasket. Diy Oneida is the way to go.
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Oct 8, 2014 23:05
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ptier posted:I'm starting to look into carving (mainly spoons and basic stuff). Does anyone have a good recommendation for a straight carving knife and a hook knife to get started? I don't need anything crazy awesome, but ya know no Chinese crap that is gonna snap and stab me in the eye. Love my knives I got from Ben Orford in the UK. http://www.benorford.com/CarvingTools.aspx
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Oct 8, 2014 23:39
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ptier posted:Has anyone read any of the woodwright guides? If so, what were your opinions. I am down for doing most things with hand tools, but cutting a tree down will be a job for captain chainsaw and the hatchet boys. I have almost all of them, I think. I like Roy's style of writing, and they go over the basics of a lot of different topics. He puts some interesting stories in there, and some neat projects that you might not think of until you see them. If you enjoy reading books about woodworking, they're well worth it. There are a multitude of other books that go into more technical detail, however. You should cut a tree down with an ax once, though. It'll make you appreciate sharp hand tools, or power tools more.
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Oct 9, 2014 00:12
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Pondex posted:Mora have pretty good reviews and they're cheap. I have been looking at those, I think they are the level I'm looking for. I do wish they made the pointed hook knife that worked for left-handed people.  But the double sided hook will work just as well. Stultus Maximus posted:Do you have a good book you'd recommend? Not really. I have mostly just been researching youtube videos by some pretty good people and watching for technique etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjK2yKZEPZQ This one has some carving at the end, after the axe work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iq3O7cC7J0 This one shows how to sharpen the knives. Usually when I'm shopping around into a hobby the 2nd thing I look at is what do I need to sharpen all the cool poo poo I'm about to buy (cheaply on ebay). MrPete posted:Love my knives I got from Ben Orford in the UK. Those look pretty cool, but pounds scare my fragile 'merican brain. One Legged Ninja posted:I have almost all of them, I think. I like Roy's style of writing, and they go over the basics of a lot of different topics. He puts some interesting stories in there, and some neat projects that you might not think of until you see them. If you enjoy reading books about woodworking, they're well worth it. There are a multitude of other books that go into more technical detail, however. I do actually plan on it. My parent's land has a fair amount of trees. I want to take my Axe over one day and pick off one of the small poplars, or other soft wood.
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Oct 9, 2014 02:48
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Watching Paul Sellers I started wondering how many people take up woodworking and basically give it up after doing a shelf or two. This is not about Sellers but the woodworking "entertainment and education" industry in general. Magazines have always been heavily geared toward beginners, most classes are geared toward beginners, most of the questions on forums are beginner questions, most youtube woodworking is beginner oriented ... and it has been this way for a long time. So at this point about 3/5 of America (world?) should be woodworkers. But in real life (woodworking clubs excepted) I know about 5 people out of a thousand who know anything about woodworking. So where are all the woodworkers and who is clamoring for this beginner content?
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Oct 9, 2014 03:21
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wormil posted:Watching Paul Sellers I started wondering how many people take up woodworking and basically give it up after doing a shelf or two. This is not about Sellers but the woodworking "entertainment and education" industry in general. Magazines have always been heavily geared toward beginners, most classes are geared toward beginners, most of the questions on forums are beginner questions, most youtube woodworking is beginner oriented ... and it has been this way for a long time. So at this point about 3/5 of America (world?) should be woodworkers. But in real life (woodworking clubs excepted) I know about 5 people out of a thousand who know anything about woodworking. So where are all the woodworkers and who is clamoring for this beginner content? I honestly don't think many of the woodworking entertainment and education folks are making money outside of a few... is it possible that what you're seeing is some sort of youtube echo chamber? granted there is obvious interest but prehaps the market is saturated since DIY content on youtube is hot right now? talking about folks like steve ramsey, jay bates, Wandel, etc.
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Oct 9, 2014 03:55
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wormil posted:Watching Paul Sellers I started wondering how many people take up woodworking and basically give it up after doing a shelf or two. This is not about Sellers but the woodworking "entertainment and education" industry in general. Magazines have always been heavily geared toward beginners, most classes are geared toward beginners, most of the questions on forums are beginner questions, most youtube woodworking is beginner oriented ... and it has been this way for a long time. So at this point about 3/5 of America (world?) should be woodworkers. But in real life (woodworking clubs excepted) I know about 5 people out of a thousand who know anything about woodworking. So where are all the woodworkers and who is clamoring for this beginner content? It's very similar in the programming world. There are *tons* of "How to write your first program for iOS/android/x" but after that it's a wasteland where you have to go to the platform vendor documentation and start dicking around until something makes sense. I see a parallel with taking a look at tools and figuring out how someone built something you see that you find interesting. Seems to work for both groups. For me, once I've taken my baby steps, I have some ideas of neat stuff I wanna build, but it's just gonna be me dicking around in my garage figuring stuff out. So it won't be too different.
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Oct 9, 2014 03:55
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I think of it when I see a video or promotion about a famous woodworker hand cutting dovetails. Woodworkers in general have a fascination and reverence for dovetails as if they would be deigned a master if they could only achieve this one task. Centuries ago, craftsman were creating masterpieces with mostly handtools, cutting a dovetail would have been no more exciting or privileged than an intern fetching coffee. I could easily see such mundane tasks as dovetailing drawers being pawned off on advanced apprentices or new journeymen. But really it's not about dovetails or youtube, those are just examples of the larger issue that woodworking for the masses in America is aimed almost entirely at beginners and has been for decades. What happened to those beginners from 20 years ago? Are they still watching dovetail and tablesaw sled videos? (Probably, I'm guilty at times too) It's easy to dismiss youtube because those are mostly amateurs making videos for other amateurs but it doesn't excuse magazine editors and authors, some of whom are extremely talented. I probably sound more worked up about it than I really am, it's just that I had 2 cups of coffee too late in the evening and I'm wound up in general.
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Oct 9, 2014 06:01
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wormil posted:What happened to those beginners from 20 years ago? Are they still watching dovetail and tablesaw sled videos? They are all reading Fine Woodworking and convincing each other that the 'heirloom' Arts & Crafts buffet you have been working on for three months will be totally handed down to your great grandchildren, not donated to Goodwill as soon as you get put in a retirement home. I've discovered that the woodworking community is almost identical to all other 'hobbies' which cross over into a profession. There are tens of thousands of photography websites/articles/youtubes/etc that explain the basics to people just starting out, but there is an exponential dropoff with increasing skill level. Once you get the basic technical skills down, there isn't much someone can 'teach' you - or, more accurately, not much they can teach you in a brief web article. But buy my book... Of course, there are plenty of tools that they can try and flog to you. If you don't buy this Festool router/Canon L series lens/Polyscience Sous Vide setup/etc, you will never get professional results and you might as well not bother! BrosephofArimathea fucked around with this message at 12:42 on Oct 9, 2014 |
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Oct 9, 2014 08:09
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I think hands on classes or attending a woodworking school are the "next" steps beyond magazines. I'm entirely self taught from books, magazines, youtube, etc. I think actually studying under someone would be the most beneficial thing.
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Oct 9, 2014 13:12
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If that's what required I'll probably stall at a certain level.
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Oct 9, 2014 13:24
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I think the problem (or part of the problem) is that 'junior' woodworkers who learn from tutorials/videos etc are all learning from a standpoint wherein they don't have to think much about choosing an end product. They're following a lesson. I'm not sure, arguably, how else you'd do it, but that's the way it is. Once they've made their shelf and their sideboard and their delicate lidded box, they stop because no one is telling them what to make, and very often no one has explained to them the uses for the different techniques they've learned — why you would use a tenon, or a dovetail, or whatever — so they can't actually apply the techniques they've learned in a problem-solving situation. At that point, I'd guess most people stop, and some people just quietly move forward with the stuff they now know, apply it to future projects as best they can, find out what works and what doesn't, and spend the next twenty years improving (until they suddenly realise they're teaching the young 'uns!)
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Oct 9, 2014 13:27
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Jeherrin posted:I think the problem (or part of the problem) is that 'junior' woodworkers who learn from tutorials/videos etc are all learning from a standpoint wherein they don't have to think much about choosing an end product. They're following a lesson. I'm not sure, arguably, how else you'd do it, but that's the way it is. Once they've made their shelf and their sideboard and their delicate lidded box, they stop because no one is telling them what to make, and very often no one has explained to them the uses for the different techniques they've learned — why you would use a tenon, or a dovetail, or whatever — so they can't actually apply the techniques they've learned in a problem-solving situation. I think this is true for many hobby and career skills. You need to be proactive about learning and taking on new projects. If you've taken on woodworking just to fill time or for fun, you're never going to reach the levels of someone who is doing it out of a true love and passion for the trade. It's just like with music. If you want to get better, you need to practice. If you want to practice enough to be good, you need to love it. The best musicians practice intentionally every day. From the basics that they know inside out to methods that they are trying to master, it's a matter of continued repetition and working on it until they get it right. If you're playing guitar as a hobby you have to realize that you're never going to be Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton. Sure, you can read a magazine or find a tab and figure out how to play one of their songs, but if you don't sit down and practice you're never going get anywhere near to their skill levels. In woodworking, if you want to get better you just have to keep working on projects and practicing your basic skills. Sometimes that means taking a project out of a magazine, sometimes that means practicing dovetails on some scrap wood. As you gain more experience, you start to gain confidence about how a project can be customized to suit your needs and start moving beyond just following instructions. As with musicians and their scales, a woodworker has basic skills that need to be worked on until they are second nature. Solid wood breakout, mitered corners and handcut dovetails are all processes that, with practice, can be done without thinking too much. It's hard to design your own project when you're second guessing how you'll put together every joint. Without the practiced knowledge of how wood behaves and the best ways to put it together you're constantly going to have to make unnecessary compromises to your designs. To bring it back to playing guitar: you're going to have a much harder time pulling off an epic solo if you don't know your scales backwards and forwards. That all being said, there's nothing wrong with being a hobbyist. If you enjoy it and you're happy following instructions for the most part, all power to you. If you truly want to get better, it's a lot of hard work. Just taking some class or reading some book won't make you better on its own. There isn't some quick fix or magic article in a magazine that will suddenly change your skill level. Seeking out new knowledge and better ways of doing things is a necessary part of the improvement process, but actually getting yourself out on the shop floor and applying your knowledge repeatedly is what's going to make you a better woodworker.
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Oct 9, 2014 15:10
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I think it's also an issue of people enjoying the idea of being a woodworker more than they enjoy taking the time and effort to develop the skills to actually become a skilled woodworker. It's no different than plenty of other skilled, practiced pursuits like playing an instrument. As a result, a bunch of the people who get in to woodworking have this initial burst of enthusiasm that drops off because they're not instantly making flawless works like the guy in the book or video that they're working from. It's only natural to go "I'm not good at this thing and I don't like not being good at this thing" and stopping whatever they're not good at. The hard part is getting over that negative emotional response and sticking with it so you can improve. And I'll admit, from personal experience, that latter part is easier said than done.
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Oct 9, 2014 15:16
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I wonder if people get too sucked into the 'expensive power tools' thing, too. The things that it's possible to achieve with a few good saws, some good chisels, and some good planes is actually incredible. It's definitely not quicker, but I think you do get a better understanding of the intrinsic qualities of the wood (and the craft) from working with 'low tech' tools. I know that, personally, I'm often at risk of being a bit of a luddite when it comes to carpentry, but that may be something to do with a) remembering using a moulding plane and b) being poo poo-scared of my Dad's spindle moulder! For a long time I worked with my Dad in a shop that had dozens of good hand tools and only a small tablesaw and a small, handheld router (the table for it was a bit poo poo...) — it wasn't until much later that he bought the planer/thicknesser, bandsaw, spindle moulder, and I do think that gave me a good appreciation on how to really use a good plane, good chisels etc. These are the skills that make the difference between mediocre carpentry, and stuff that you can look at and think "hey, it's not winning awards, but I'm pleased with it." e: I also think that good facility with hand tools makes everything less daunting, especially when planning projects.
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Oct 9, 2014 15:37
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Lots of good responses. Apparently I need need to tackle something more complicated to cure my boredom. But since I'm still doing shop renovation which includes some plywood cabinets, plus Christmas presents coming up, it might be awhile.
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Oct 9, 2014 17:12
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I assembled my shop vac and it works, so yay!  Wire retracts when you push the switch to it's left. The switch on top is the power switch. The motor speed adjustment is on the front of the box, you can see it in other pictures a bit.  The filter housing, I use a kärcher wet & dry shop vac filter, but I can put basically anything there as long as it's short enough.  The lid flops open, the grey stuff is some silicone I smeared out to act as a gasket, when the motor runs it sucks the lid shut whenit starts and I need both arms to get it open, it's surprisingly airtight.  Next is to sand it and get rid of the roughest edges, then paint it some suitable color, I always liked the green color Matthias Wandel put on his machines. Under the motor and filter box there's room to put... something, I dunno what yet. As for the expensive power tool stuff, looking at hand tools it's just as easy to invest a lot of money into those. Especially if you're buying new. I've saved lots of money by buying several things used, like the table saw and jointer/planer. In fact I don't believe I would buy new even if I could now, IMO you get better quality and more for your money by getting something old and solid, preferably in cast iron, than something new made from sheet metal in china or whatever. I have the same approach to hand tools most of the time.
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Oct 9, 2014 20:48
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wormil posted:Lots of good responses. Apparently I need need to tackle something more complicated to cure my boredom. But since I'm still doing shop renovation which includes some plywood cabinets, plus Christmas presents coming up, it might be awhile. not that I'm anything beyond beginner, but I have found that woodworking is an interesting combination of simple things that build up to a much more complex whole. Learning how to chain them together in a pleasing way is really where the skill and craft comes in, but I am at a loss on how someone could truly teach that. That's more of a design and class sort of thing.
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Oct 9, 2014 21:01
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