|
TheChimney posted:What is the bare minimum required to start this hobby? I am a poor student. Or is this one of those things that you shouldn't bother with unless you have a decent chunk of change? A coping saw A tape measure Combination square Hammer Screwdriver(s) A power drill and some bits. Other useful stuff: Sawhorses Vise Clamps Buy everything else as you need it to complete projects, and your budget allows. You can do an amazing amount of work the simple tools above. You can get these tools together in the first list for less then $100, I would imagine, if you shop around. You can also, if your on a budget, just put a WANTED ad on craiglist. Most guys with spare tools are more then happy to help out students/young people who want to get into this sort of a hobby. You do not NEED expensive woodworking tools to do good work, as long as you have some time, patience, and ingenuity. The best thing you can do is watch the New Yankee Workshop. Even if you don't have alot of the tools Norm has, you can learn alot from watching him work. Materials can be expensive. One thing you can do is go around to jobsites where they are doing housing work and ask the guys if you can fish through their scraps. If you need a square 1x1 piece of lumber, you can cut it out of a 2x4 if you have to... I encourage you to dive in headfirst. Getting started is more important then having all the tools you need. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 02:54 on Jul 18, 2008 |
#
¿
Jul 18, 2008 02:51
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 05:29 |
|
|
Now that I'm into metalcasting, I'll be doing alot more woodworking then I have been lately. (Kinda funny how a metal object to be cast usually starts out as a woodworking project!) In any event, I want to make a jig(s) to use my router for making wooden plaques and signs that will then be cast into metal. I'm mostly interested in using it to make either raised or recessed letters, but the flexibility to do other things would be neat. I'm interested in any ideas be it as simple as something that holds the router in place and let's it move so the operator uses it freehand style, or something as complex as a Homebuilt Linux powered woodworking CNC operation.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 23, 2008 15:33
|
|
|
Do you have a balcony that you could work on? You will find that you won't want all the sawdust from cutting and sanding inside your apartment, so keep that in mind. You can start working on some projects with a few hand tools and patience, you don't need a shop full of power tools to do fine work. Suggested tools to start with: Combination square and tape measure Rip saw and cross cut saw coping saw for making delicate round cuts plane power drill, center punch, and bits hammer and a few screwdrivers nail punch for setting finishing nails 2 folding saw horses or one of those work tables that can also act like a vise putty knife / wood filler sandpaper
|
|
#
¿
Sep 20, 2008 13:30
|
|
|
Just wanted to stop in and say you guys do some drat nice work here. I used to do alot of woodworking 10+ years ago, but have done little since then. I'm about to start the process of building a new crucible furnace, so I'll be picking up my wood tools again soon since I'll have to start making patterns of poo poo I want to cast.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 5, 2010 05:29
|
|
|
I vote for making your own router table. They are fairly easy to make. I've never even used a commercial router table in my lifetime. (Also router circle jigs are easy to make yourself as well BTW.)
|
|
#
¿
Jan 5, 2010 19:56
|
|
|
Comedy answer: Weld the bar clamps together. Hook the 2 fixed ends together, put a piece of wood between them and the workpiece, and tighten the 2 screw ends on the workpiece perhaps?
|
|
#
¿
Jan 7, 2010 05:49
|
|
|
ChaoticSeven posted:Finished a bench.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 24, 2010 00:55
|
|
|
I need to make some raised panels for a door, and I thought I had a raised panel bit... but sadly, I don't. I have a tablesaw, I was thinking of seeing what I can do with it and by hand, but I think that might be a waste of my time. Ideas? I don't particular want to purchase a raised panel bit right now for my router table. If there's any goons with a surface planer and raised panel bit in the Philly region give me a PM or an AIM. I'm only trying to make 2 small panels.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2010 03:23
|
|
|
Barn Owl posted:Depending on how insane you are or how many math majors you have on hand you can make some cove cuts on a table saw. Look at the profile of your blade from an oblique angle and you may see what I mean. You just set up an auxiliary fence that's at an angle to the blade. I made one out of a scrap sheet of plywood and some mdf. I just woke up, so I have to think about this a little more for it to make sense. You could cut my learning curve down by posting a quick ms-paint diagram however. That being said, you just made an idea come to mind of using an ogee curve (I think?) router bit I have and a hand plane to get the same effect, with a different style. Maybe it might even look nice.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2010 17:19
|
|
|
ChaoticSeven posted:http://www.cabinetmaking.com/pages/raised_panel.htm
|
|
#
¿
Jan 28, 2010 21:53
|
|
|
I would say it all depends on the price. I can't stress this enough... If you want to do all hand tool woodworking, and this is true for ALL hand or power tools, really, but especially for planes and chisels. Learn how to properly sharpen them, and well. Learn a little about steels and tempers. If the temper's been lost on a chisel, it can be restored. If it isn't sharp, it can be sharpened. If it's rusty, that can be fixed (Depending on severity). If the plane adjustment is sticky, it can be taken apart and cleaned. You get the idea. To be honest when it comes to hand tools for woodworking, the older the better, generally speaking. Just use your common sense when looking them over. Personally, I love collecting old, used tools, because frankly, sometimes they are better then what's offered brand new today. (For example, see the my thread in this forum about my lathe, or the infamous tractor thread.) Edit: When it comes to planes and chisels, often the steels used in the old ones have better chemistry then the new steels, unless you pay a very high price for it. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 18:32 on Feb 8, 2010 |
|
#
¿
Feb 8, 2010 18:29
|
|
|
Look at the steel. Is it just surface rust, or is it bad corrosion and pitted? Obviously the former isn't an issue. Is anything cracked of physically broken? Did someone use it as a cold chisel trying to a cut a keyway on a hardened steel shaft at 2 AM when the tool store and machine shop were closed? Does the bottom of the plane have deep gouges where it was dropped? How flat does the bottom of the plane look? It can be honed a little bit to make it true, but you don't want to grind off 1/16" of metal or anything. Really, most of the time, it's just a matter of cleaning it up, sharpening it, on planes maybe doing some painting and lubricating the moving parts. Make new handles, etc. None of this is really hard... just a little time consuming, but it's worth the effort, and you'll also have a better understanding of them, and will be more likely to take good care of them then if you bought a new tool. Most rust can be removed from old tools with some 400 grit wet/dry paper and kerosene, or other mild solvent to wet the sandpaper. After the rust is gone, you can polish it as much as you desire too. Sometimes you can use a wire wheel on a bench grinder, however you may not have one, and you don't want to get that near a cutting edge. Also it will leave a different finish on the metal then if you use the sandpaper. In addition to the water stone, you are going to want some coarser stones that remove more metal. When you deal with used tools, they will be incredibly dull, and have some minor dings in the cutting edge. That's not a problem, but you'll be there for 100 years if the only thing you have is a water stone.  Safety tip: Never use anything with a sharp edge on a bench grinder with a wire wheel. That wheel can grab things, and you don't want things with sharp edges getting out of your control!!! Also, if you ever use a bench grinder to grind a damaged plane or chisel edge for faster removal, don't get that metal too hot! You'll want to cool it off in water frequently. If you get it too hot, you'll gently caress up the temper, and have to redo it. It shouldn't really get above 100 F degrees at all. Keep in mind, as far as your fingers are concerned, a chisel is probably the most dangerous hand tool for woodworking out there, except for maybe carving knives. Oh, and once you got your tools nice and sharp, retract the blade in the plane so it's not sticking out, and make some covers or something for the chisel edge so handling them is safer for you, and the sharp edge. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 19:49 on Feb 8, 2010 |
|
#
¿
Feb 8, 2010 19:35
|
|
|
These are also very useful fur honing planes and chisels. I have one and love it. It has a little wheel in the back that rides along the stone. Also, honing the stone it self needs to be done occasionally to keep it flat. This is usually done with an abrasive compound and a piece of glass. 
|
|
#
¿
Feb 9, 2010 05:30
|
|
|
Bad Munki posted:My question is, once I've got those two pieces screwed together, how do I go about nicking off the protruding corner that is produced in their example jig? 
|
|
#
¿
Feb 14, 2010 13:59
|
|
|
Sounds like the angle is a little bit off. Cut your pieces a 1/16"-1/32" little bit longer, then use chisels and sandpaper to accurately remove the final little bit of material to get your fit up the way you want it. With limited amounts and quality of tools, patience really is your best friend. You can make stuff, it's just going to be a little tedious sometimes.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 15, 2010 13:39
|
|
|
After you have you mitres cut and are putting it together... these things are very useful to keep everything aligned for you while you glue or install fasnters: Also, you will note, there is a little slot cut in the inside corner of that clamp. That lets you cut your pieces a little long, put them together in the clamp, then run a saw down between the two pieces which will cut both simultaneously to make a perfect joint every time. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 14:10 on Feb 16, 2010 |
|
#
¿
Feb 16, 2010 14:06
|
|
|
I need to make a new stock for my Stevens side by side. The current stock would be too much of a pain to modify in order to properly fit me. Never made a gunstock before. Anybody here have tips or maybe some good internet links?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 17, 2010 17:33
|
|
|
Run (2) 2x4's the length of the table, say 16-20" apart, and in the middle put a piece of square plywood spanning them, and then bolt the plywood to the pedestal. Edit: Oh you are building an octagonal table. Well you can use a similar idea. I thought you were building the other type.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 17, 2010 20:41
|
|
|
1-2 layers of 3/4" plywood should be plenty strong enough. Don't know how much solid you could possibly need. This is how all tables I've seen that use a pedestal are put together.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 17, 2010 21:18
|
|
|
With the tools you have, it'll be easier for you to make a good miter then cut a rabbet. Rabbets really are a pain in the rear end unless you have a table saw or radial arm saw. Otherwise, you have alot of sawing, and chiselling to get it shaped right.
AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 00:33 on Feb 18, 2010 |
|
#
¿
Feb 18, 2010 00:30
|
|
|
I think he's planning on bolting the plywood, then using screws to secure the top to the plywood afterwards. I still think he only needs 2 2x4's that aren't notched. I think notching it partially defeats the purpose of having them.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 18, 2010 02:22
|
|
|
You can find information online that list the strengths of various woods of various sizes. If I were building something to hold 400lbs of water, my philosophy would be to overbuild it.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 18, 2010 03:14
|
|
|
Bad Munki posted:Basically, I want to be sure that the first time some fat guy leans on the table to stand up, it doesn't break off and send everything flying.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 18, 2010 04:07
|
|
|
Those lasers are useful if you are doing rough carpentry or something. They are useless for any accurate work.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 19, 2010 14:43
|
|
|
You need three things to make anything with wood come out great, and you can't get them immediately. 1. Patience 2. Practice 3. Time Take a slow, thoughtful approach to your work, and constantly think of how you can do it better. You'll get there. What I'm saying is, you can't just go out, buy some tools, and immediately expect to be a master craftsman. Your first projects aren't going to be that great, and you want to view them as learning experiences.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 21, 2010 14:24
|
|
|
Looks great!
|
|
#
¿
Feb 23, 2010 00:24
|
|
|
How much would new wood cost you? It's probably easier to start from scratch then do re-work. I don't know of any solvents that will work on dried glue... however paint stripper MIGHT work.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 24, 2010 14:59
|
|
|
Well at least they aren't as bad as compound miters, or this classic:
|
|
#
¿
Feb 24, 2010 15:50
|
|
|
Speaking of compound miters... I made this scale model of Khufu's pyramid in High School for a history class project. It was right around Christmas time, and I managed to convince my parents to buy me a contractor's tablesaw (which I still use) as an early present. This model was my very first time using a tablesaw actually. Figuring out the geometry was a challenge, I forget how the hell I did it. I do remember, however, that I had to make an ASSLOAD of test cuts and prototypes before I got it right. Never in my life, have I had such a hard time trying to get any sort of a fabrication project to come out right. I don't think the teacher truly appreciated the amount of effort this required. And no, I didn't use any wood putty! (I did get an A) It's painted that color because the pyramids were originally encased in limestone, which has long since been eroded away over thousands of years. 
AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 16:08 on Feb 24, 2010 |
|
#
¿
Feb 24, 2010 16:05
|
|
|
ChaoticSeven posted:I haven't, yet. I don't have a lapping stone or anything. I don't really have a way to sharpen the blades, or the know how. Else I'd have posted the obligatory shaving money shots. I do have a 2 foot square granite plate that I could use sandpaper with I guess. The granite plate and sandpaper would work well, albeit a little slow, but you really shouldn't have to remove that much material anyway. You can also use valve lapping compound. If you don't' have granite, most pieces of glass should be flat enough. You can also use hand scraping, a surface plate, and prussian blue to get a perfectly flat surface... and this is the best option. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 22:09 on Feb 25, 2010 |
|
#
¿
Feb 25, 2010 22:06
|
|
|
Another great episode of the New Marvel Workshop. Thanks for the informative post Wormil!
|
|
#
¿
Feb 27, 2010 00:20
|
|
|
A router would make that 10x easier.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 1, 2010 01:26
|
|
|
Archives posted:You really need to go in depth about this. What do you use for electrolytes? ChaoticSeven (In another thread) posted:I didn't realize it bubbled paint like that either. I used baking soda cooked off in the oven at 375 for about an hour and a half to get sodium carbonate instead of bicarbonate, since I couldn't find washing soda anywhere locally. I put in a site to store shipping order at Ace's website since it's cheap there, though.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 2, 2010 18:58
|
|
|
I think you could lay the board flat, and put a normal straight cutting bit in the router. You will have to make some pencil marks on your work piece and router table fence to tell you where to start and stop. Finish up the ends with a small chisel.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 3, 2010 04:29
|
|
|
Many people choose to use stains so they don't have to lay out the bucks for a wood like walnut, but want the color to match other pieces or decor in the room. I too normally prefer not using any dyes, pigments, stains, etc., and leaving the natural beauty of the wood, however, they do have their place in some circumstances.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 8, 2010 18:43
|
|
|
You could also use a table saw to make those cuts by setting it to a 45 degree angle and making 2 cuts. It'll be a little easier to do with the router, however.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 10, 2010 21:36
|
|
|
That will be the most kick rear end nixie tube clock ever. I love combining electronics and wood, the way they used to do back in the day.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 11, 2010 15:56
|
|
|
Beautiful work!
|
|
#
¿
Mar 15, 2010 00:24
|
|
|
Anybody here have any first hand experience with Grizzly woodworking machinery?
|
|
#
¿
Mar 24, 2010 14:34
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 05:29 |
|
|
A plane that has a sharp blade and a very long base.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 12, 2010 17:09
|
|