This blog is devoted to handmade woodworking, cabinetmaking, and furniture projects with an emphasis on the Shaker and Arts and Crafts styles. I will be writing about the technical and creative processes involved in the design and construction of a series of projects in solid domestic hardwoods including oak, maple, cherry, and walnut.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
OutOfWoods is Open for Business on Etsy!
It took me about two hours to get my store up and running on Etsy this afternoon. The site pretty well leads you through the process step-by-step, so the frustrations were limited to the usual user errors. I listed the Shaker sconces I described making here, along with some small boxes I had made previously. I still need to refine my Etsy page to make it more attractive, more easily found etc., but at least I finally got it started up!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Shaker Hanging Shelf - Dado Jig
Given the poor quality of the dado set I have for my saw, I will be using a router to cut the dadoes that support the shelves. The router is safer, in any case, and will cut cleanly and accurately with the proper jig. I will be using a 1/2" outside diameter guide collar in the router with a 5/16" straight bit to make the cuts.
I decided to use 1/2" MDF here again, as I did with the other jig for this project. The photo at right shows my layout. After marking the desired placement of the dadoes, I drilled a 1/2" hole at the end of each one to aid in setting up the router to cut the three slots. The remaining layout lines are for the placement of the 1/4" masonite strips that will position the work piece under the jig and for the placement of the horizontal batten that will be used to hang the shelf unit.
I used a clamp-on straightedge to guide the router, which was equipped with a 1/2" straight bit. I positioned the guide by dropping the router bit into the hole I had previously drilled in the MDF and moving the straightedge until it contacted the router base. After double checking the position of the guide with a try square, I locked it into position.
I made the cut in three passes of gradually increasing depth. The guide is positioned to the left of the router because routers move to the left as you push them away from you. Thus, I started the cut on the edge of the MDF nearest to me and continued cutting until I reached the hole I had drilled at the far end of the cut. Highland Woodworking has an excellent article on this subject at:
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/routersgoleft.aspx.
The two jigs I made for the Hanging Shelf project represent my only experience so far with MDF. The material is quite dense, stable, and consistent, making it suitable for jigs, but it is unpleasant to work with. The high resin content means that it scorches easily when machined and smells bad when it does scorch. Working MDF with the router produces large volumes of fine dust and is probably harder on bits than is real wood. Still, it seems the most convenient and inexpensive material I can think of for this application.
The last photo shows the jig with the masonite strips ready for glue up. The guide slots came out clean, crisp, and square. I am anxious to try both jigs out on some actual wood! I haven't yet made up my mind about how I will make the notches in the side pieces for the hanging batten. I may add that feature to this jig or perhaps nibble them out with the table saw.
To be continued...
Jig Layout |
Setting the Guide |
I made the cut in three passes of gradually increasing depth. The guide is positioned to the left of the router because routers move to the left as you push them away from you. Thus, I started the cut on the edge of the MDF nearest to me and continued cutting until I reached the hole I had drilled at the far end of the cut. Highland Woodworking has an excellent article on this subject at:
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/routersgoleft.aspx.
The two jigs I made for the Hanging Shelf project represent my only experience so far with MDF. The material is quite dense, stable, and consistent, making it suitable for jigs, but it is unpleasant to work with. The high resin content means that it scorches easily when machined and smells bad when it does scorch. Working MDF with the router produces large volumes of fine dust and is probably harder on bits than is real wood. Still, it seems the most convenient and inexpensive material I can think of for this application.
Underside of Jig, w/Slots |
To be continued...
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Shaker Hanging Shelf - Stock Preparation and Jig Construction
Beautiful Grain! |
I felt it would be worthwhile to construct a jig for shaping the sides of the shelf unit rather than using templates as I did with the Shaker Sconce. These were useful but not especially convenient, so I also plan to create jigs for those pieces sometime soon.
Layout |
Tapering |
Sawing One of the Curves |
Cleaning up a Curve |
Gluing Down the Guide Strips |
The next step will be to cut the side pieces of the hanging shelf to length. I will need to dado these to hold the shelves before using my new jig to trim them to shape. I may have to take some time off from this project to work on my Etsy store front as I hope to be open for business by November 1 and still have much to do...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tapering Jig Part III - Complete
Tapering Jig Complete |
The photo at right shows how simple the jig is to use. The only layout required involves drawing the desired line of cut on the work piece. This is aligned with the left hand side of the jig, which rides along the saw blade. The work is then secured with the wooden hold-downs and the cut is made. I equipped the jig with multiple t-tracks to accommodate a wide range of work pieces.
Laying Out |
Coping |
Drilling |
Finished Hold-Down |
Monday, October 18, 2010
Table Saw Tapering Jig - Part II
Stack Dado |
In order to accommodate the dado set, I have installed a different throat plate (shown in red) on the saw. The wider opening offers more than enough clearance for the 1/2" dado set. In fact, it would have been better to make a zero-clearance throat plate here to avoid splintering the wood, but I was in too much of a hurry at this point to be done. As we will see, this created extra work later on.
Note that the riving knife has been removed for this operation as it cannot be used for dadoing. The small oval hole in the upper left corner of the throat plate provides finger access to the catch that holds the knife in place, so it is easily removed. Use of the stack dado set is inherently dangerous, susceptible to kickback because the blade is buried in the work, and it essential to keep track of where your hands are in relation to the blade at all times. It is especially important to keep in mind the exact spot where the blade will emerge from under the work as the cut is completed.
Making the Cut |
A Nasty Cut Indeed |
Although the poor quality of the cut offends my aesthetic sensibilities, it in no way affects the functionality of what is, after all, a jig. I will repair the damage with filler to prevent further splintering and to protect myself from splinters. I will then seal the base with a couple of coats of thinned shellac for protection and to make it slide smoothly across the saw table. In my next entry, I plan to show how to fabricate wooden hold-downs for the jig and install the T-track, hopefully concluding this project.
More to come...
Saturday, October 16, 2010
A Tapering Jig for the Table Saw - Part I
The Shaker Hanging Shelf project will involve two tapered pieces, so I need to construct a tapering jig for my table saw before proceeding. The design I will be using is quite basic, employing the saw's miter gauge slot for guidance and simple hold-downs running in aluminum T-track to secure the work to the jig at the desired angle. The dimensions of the jig are 12" X 36", though it could easily be scaled up or down as needed.
I begin by ripping a piece of 3/4" plywood to width to form the base of the jig. Note that I am using the blade guard/splitter on the saw here rather than the usual riving knife. Because this is a rip cut, I can rely on the fence for guidance and so have no need to see the line of cut clearly. The anti-kickback pawls also add a degree of protection to the process. The guard turns out to be very convenient and makes a noticeable improvement in dust collection.
I am using a scrap of maple to make the strip that will ride in the miter gauge slot. I use the planer to trim the strip to the precise width and thickness required.
Next, I need to make a dado in the underside of the jig to accommodate the strip that will ride in the miter gauge slot. I will be using the router table for this, but first I need to establish the exact distance between the slot and the saw blade. I do this using a steel rule and the maple strip I just prepared. The distance is exactly 4". The photo at right also shows the close fit between the maple strip and the miter slot in the saw table.
I have installed a 3/4" diameter straight bit in the router table. I set the distance between the bit and the router table fence at 4 1/8" to allow me to trim the base of the jig to fit flush with the saw blade, as I will show later. Note that it makes no difference that the fence is not square to the router table, as the dado will still be parallel to the edge. I use a small machinist's square for the measurement, taking care to rotate the router but so its high point is directly opposite the fence. I use a brass gauge bar to set the depth of cut to 3/16". I also make a test cut on a piece of scrap before dadoing the actual base of the tapering jig. The dado turns out to be a perfect fit for the maple guide strip.
With the guide strip temporarily installed in the dado, I can do some final trimming. I first trim the maple strip to length using the crosscut sled, then rip the jig to its final width. Note that the maple strip runs in the saw's miter gauge slot to guide the cut, so the rip fence is not needed. The next step will be to cut three dados in the top of the jig to accommodate the aluminum T-tracks. I will show how that is done in my next posting.
More to come soon...
Ripping With the Guard |
Planing the Strip |
Measuring |
More Measuring |
The Dado |
Trimming the Guide Strip |
Trimming to Final Width |
More to come soon...
Name Change - Blog Will Stay the Same
I decided to change the title of this blog to OutOfWoods in order to match the name I registered for my store on Etsy. I hope to be open for business there soon. Several versions of Out of the Woods were already in use so I went for a combination that wasn't yet taken. This also matches my email exactly and is very close to my Twitter name. I hope the long term advantages of the change outweigh the short term inconvenience this may cause my readers.
Next: Back to the workshop!
Next: Back to the workshop!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Preventing Kickback II - Splitters vs Riving Knives
In my September 24 entry I discussed the importance of an accurate rip fence in preventing table saw kickback. Having an effective method of keeping the saw kerf open during rip cuts is equally critical if not more so. Stresses within the wood can cause the saw cut to either open up or pinch shut as it passes over the saw blade. If the kerf springs open so that it presses against the rip fence, the wood may be pushed against the trailing edge of the saw blade causing kickback. If the kerf pinches shut, it may grab the rear of the blade with the same result. The traditional solution has been to install a splitter behind the blade.
The photo at right shows the type of splitter traditionally supplied with American table saws. These often come equipped with clear plastic guards. Both are generally removed and lost because they are so inconvenient to use.
The splitter does have some good features. The metal blade that makes up the body of the splitter is effective at keeping the saw kerf open. The toothed blade visible on the side of the unit, actually one of a pair that straddle the splitter, is a pawl that can grab the piece of wood if it starts to be thrown back at the operator, thus preventing kickback.
There are several drawbacks to this design. The gap between saw blade and splitter, clearly visible in the photo, is one of the most serious. This gap makes it possible for the wood to contact the rear of the blade before it even reaches the splitter, causing kickback. Many splitters of this type are also made of soft metal that is easily bent and difficult to realign. The height of the splitter is also fixed, rather than raising or lowering along with the blade, so that it must be removed when making grooves or buried cuts, as in tenoning, etc. Once removed, the splitter is rarely replaced.
The riving knife, long in use in Europe but only recently required here, addresses many of these issues. The riving knife is attached to the saw arbor so that it raises, lowers, and tilts along with the saw blade. As long as the correct size blade is installed, the gap between the riving knife and blade is constant and quite small. Finally, because the knife is slightly shorter than the saw blade, it can be left in place when making buried cuts. The riving knife must be removed when using a dado set or molding head but, at least in the case of the saw I own, this is easily done without tools.
The riving knife is especially useful for cuts where the operator needs to be able to see the blade clearly, as when cutting to a pencil mark. It lacks anti-kickback pawls and a plastic shield, both of which would make ripping long boards or cutting sheet goods much safer. On my saw, the riving knife is easily exchanged for a splitter of this type. Unlike the traditional design, this guard rides up and down with the blade, preserving many of the advantages of the riving knife. Presently, riving knives are only required on new saw designs, existing designs being grandfathered in under the new safety rules. I am convinced the new designs are worth the added cost.
The other anti-kickback device that has been receiving a lot of press is an electronically activated brake that instantly stops the blade if it contacts flesh. The action is so fast that no injury to the operator results. While this is an extremely important development, it is currently available only on one brand of saw. I suspect it will become more widely available in future, but for now most woodworkers will have to rely on accurate rip fences, splitters or riving knives, and their own vigilance to avoid kickback injuries.
Traditional Splitter |
The splitter does have some good features. The metal blade that makes up the body of the splitter is effective at keeping the saw kerf open. The toothed blade visible on the side of the unit, actually one of a pair that straddle the splitter, is a pawl that can grab the piece of wood if it starts to be thrown back at the operator, thus preventing kickback.
There are several drawbacks to this design. The gap between saw blade and splitter, clearly visible in the photo, is one of the most serious. This gap makes it possible for the wood to contact the rear of the blade before it even reaches the splitter, causing kickback. Many splitters of this type are also made of soft metal that is easily bent and difficult to realign. The height of the splitter is also fixed, rather than raising or lowering along with the blade, so that it must be removed when making grooves or buried cuts, as in tenoning, etc. Once removed, the splitter is rarely replaced.
Riving Knife |
Modern Splitter With Guard |
The other anti-kickback device that has been receiving a lot of press is an electronically activated brake that instantly stops the blade if it contacts flesh. The action is so fast that no injury to the operator results. While this is an extremely important development, it is currently available only on one brand of saw. I suspect it will become more widely available in future, but for now most woodworkers will have to rely on accurate rip fences, splitters or riving knives, and their own vigilance to avoid kickback injuries.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
New Project - Shaker Hanging Shelf
The Shakers produced several variations of this set of hanging shelves, some more elegant than others. My version takes its inspiration from the measured drawing in Ejner Handberg's Shop Drawings of Shaker Furniture and Woodenware. I decided to make my shelf unit roughly half the size of Ejner's original, appropriate for use as a spice rack or for the display of small objects. The original was designed to be screwed to a pegboard strip attached to the wall. I have incorporated a small length of pegboard into my design to allow the hanging of measuring spoons, keys, etc.
I produced a set of half-size drawings to allow me to tweak the details before committing them to wood. The front view shows the spacing of the shelves and the placement of the batten used for hanging the unit. I will have to check my stock of hardwood, but I anticipate making the first set of shelves from cherry, 1/2" thick. I think figured maple would also make be excellent choice here. I will wait until the design is finalized, however, before committing it to the more difficult to obtain maple. I will begin by preparing the templates and the hardwood stock for the project.
More to follow...
I produced a set of half-size drawings to allow me to tweak the details before committing them to wood. The front view shows the spacing of the shelves and the placement of the batten used for hanging the unit. I will have to check my stock of hardwood, but I anticipate making the first set of shelves from cherry, 1/2" thick. I think figured maple would also make be excellent choice here. I will wait until the design is finalized, however, before committing it to the more difficult to obtain maple. I will begin by preparing the templates and the hardwood stock for the project.
More to follow...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Setting up Shop on Etsy
Now that I've completed the sconces, I figure it's time I set up shop on Etsy. There is certainly an overabundance of advice for newcomers to the online craft world, and it would be easy to get stuck in an endless loop of reading the available information. Taking my usual approach, I just plunged in and registered on Etsy as OutOfWoods, which matches my email address and Twitter account and is close enough to the name of this blog. I also set up a matching PayPal business account to accept payments and have been perusing Etsy to get some ideas about how my page should look.
I am also looking into shipping options. I ordered a Flat Rate shipping kit from the Postal Service to see if that will work for me. The Postal Service provides free shipping boxes for this method and each box size has a fixed postage charge. The fixed charge would allow me to charge the same postage to all customers, but the free boxes only come in a few sizes that may not be appropriate for the items I will be shipping. My other option would be to get a postal scale, some packing materials, and charge according to weight and shipping zone.
None of this is as enjoyable as actually creating the items I want to sell, but I can't see any way to avoid the details. I think things will be easier to handle if I concentrate on one consideration at a time, so I will be settling on a shipping method first. Once that is done, I can tackle shop design, etc.
I am also looking into shipping options. I ordered a Flat Rate shipping kit from the Postal Service to see if that will work for me. The Postal Service provides free shipping boxes for this method and each box size has a fixed postage charge. The fixed charge would allow me to charge the same postage to all customers, but the free boxes only come in a few sizes that may not be appropriate for the items I will be shipping. My other option would be to get a postal scale, some packing materials, and charge according to weight and shipping zone.
None of this is as enjoyable as actually creating the items I want to sell, but I can't see any way to avoid the details. I think things will be easier to handle if I concentrate on one consideration at a time, so I will be settling on a shipping method first. Once that is done, I can tackle shop design, etc.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Obituary for a Fine Old Elm
I am saddened to announce the passing of one of the last remaining elm trees in my area. The tree, which has been a neighborhood landmark for nearly a century, finally succumbed to some combination of age, drought, disease, and the stresses of urban life. It is certainly one of the last remnants of the scores of elms that shaded the neighborhood before they were felled by the Dutch Elm blight in the sixties. We will miss its incredible crown of branches, its shade, and the character it leant to the block on which it grew.
We had an opportunity to speak with the homeowners this evening as we stood contemplating the remains of the tree, and it was evident that they were deeply affected by its loss. Because it grew between the sidewalk and the curb, the city will be planting a replacement tree. The crew that came to fell the dead tree allowed the owners to keep much of the wood and offered to cut them a slab from the base so they could count the rings and perhaps have a table made some day.
Elm has a reputation for being cantankerous, its grain tightly interlocked so as to resist easy splitting. It was, for this reason, the wood of choice for the hubs of wooden wagon wheels. I took away two small logs with the thought that I might make something from the wood in a few years. I can, at least, preserve its memory in that way. Ars longa, vita brevis...
We had an opportunity to speak with the homeowners this evening as we stood contemplating the remains of the tree, and it was evident that they were deeply affected by its loss. Because it grew between the sidewalk and the curb, the city will be planting a replacement tree. The crew that came to fell the dead tree allowed the owners to keep much of the wood and offered to cut them a slab from the base so they could count the rings and perhaps have a table made some day.
Elm has a reputation for being cantankerous, its grain tightly interlocked so as to resist easy splitting. It was, for this reason, the wood of choice for the hubs of wooden wagon wheels. I took away two small logs with the thought that I might make something from the wood in a few years. I can, at least, preserve its memory in that way. Ars longa, vita brevis...
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Shaker Sconces Complete
I completed final assembly of the two Shaker sconces last night, too late to post at the time. After glue up, I did a final hand sanding with 220 grit paper to remove the remaining machine marks. The finish consists of two coats of Watco Danish Oil, allowed to dry for 24 hours then hand buffed with a soft cloth. The oil does a nice job of bringing out the grain, but is slow drying and smelly. I may experiment with other finishes if I decide to make these in quantity.
My next step is to set up my store on Etsy to see if this is a salable design. I personally find the proportions and gentle curves pleasing, but I have no way of gauging the general appeal of the design without putting it out in public. I expect to devote my next few posts to actually getting these items to market, etc. If they do sell, I will want to revisit the construction process to see if I can reduce the amount of time involved without sacrificing quality.
My next step is to set up my store on Etsy to see if this is a salable design. I personally find the proportions and gentle curves pleasing, but I have no way of gauging the general appeal of the design without putting it out in public. I expect to devote my next few posts to actually getting these items to market, etc. If they do sell, I will want to revisit the construction process to see if I can reduce the amount of time involved without sacrificing quality.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Shaker Sconce - Cutting Out the Pieces
Cutting the Curves |
Trimming the Back |
Cutting a Rabbet on the Router Table |
The Finished Pieces |
Clearly, there are economies of scale to be realized if I make the sconces in larger batches. By doing multiples of each piece while I have my machines set up for a particular operation, I can save myself from having to do the time-consuming set ups as often. I can also save wood by laying the pieces out more efficiently for cutting. If this design proves popular, I will need to address all of these issues. For the present, I need to move on to the final assembly and finishing process. To be continued...
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Band Saw is Up and Running Again
Back Together and Fully Set Up |
Blade Guides (Front) and Trunnions (Rear) |
Each guide assembly contains a ball bearing, visible in the photo, which sits behind the blade to absorb its rearward thrust during cutting. Both of these were stiff due to lack of lubricant. I would like to have replaced them, but at a cost of $21.00 apiece from Delta, I decided to salvage them. I was able to pop the grease seals off with the tip of my utility knife, flush them out with solvent, and repack them with lithium grease. After all this work, I located a bearing distributer online who offers them for $0.99 apiece, plus shipping. Although I have not yet placed an order with these people, I think their site at http://www.vxb.com is worth checking out.
The two black shafts in the middle of the photo are the adjustment screws for the lower guide assembly. These steel screws turning in the aluminum guide assembly are prone to galling and similar issues, so I was meticulous in cleaning these up and lubricating them. One moves the thrust bearing forward and back behind the blade. Properly adjusted, the bearing sits a few thousandths of an inch behind the blade, only contacting it and actually spinning when the blade flexes under the pressure of a cut. The other adjusts the guide blocks which keep the blade from flexing side to side. These have to be adjusted so they sit just behind the saw teeth so the blocks do not get chewed up in the process. I have replaced the original steel guide blocks with graphite impregnated phenolic "cool blocks" which can be set more closely than steel blocks without risk of damaging the blade, thus providing a more accurate cut.
Checking the Position of the Broken Trunnion Prior to Removal |
The photo at right shows me carefully measuring the position of the broken rear trunnion prior to removing it. In practice, these measurements only provided a starting point. I did the final adjustment by making an endless number of test crosscuts on the saw using the miter gauge and moving the table to compensate for deviations from square.
It took about thirty minutes to get the table accurately adjusted, which also turned out to be the limit of my patience. Since the new trunnions seem to be better made than the original parts, I have hopes of never having to go through this process again. Only time will tell. In any case, I am now able to resume woodworking rather than machine maintenance, so I should be able to get back to the Shaker Sconce project for my next post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)