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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Build a router lift

When I set out to make my router table, I decided early on that I wanted to include a router lift. It makes it easy to raise and lower the router without having to reach underneath, and bits can be changed from the top of the table.

Lots of lifts

I looked at a lot of different lifts. If you are ambitious, I highly recommend Matthaias Wandels incredible tilting lift over at Woodgears.ca. Put simply, Mathhias is a genius. He puts a lot of work into his plans are they incredibly detailed and accurate. For $14, its worth it.

On the other end of the home-made spectrum, Weekend Workshop on You Tube made an intriguing router lift using a car jack!

I decided to go in between these two and built a lift that was featured in issue 121 of Shop Notes magazine. It is a pretty simple concept, but was definitely a challenge to my skills. Thats the kind of project I like. It works really well.

Shop Notes

I wanted to provide a link to the plan.

I contacted Shop Notes and strangely, they have no way to buy the plan online or even to buy the issue it was in! Uh, it was this year...January, 2012. Really old skool.

They have a lot of great projects and it seems to me like they are really missing the boat on this one. Even the Shop Notes web site is pretty lame. Cmon Shop Notes! Heres an opportunity to make some extra money.

So if you dont get Shop Notes and are interested in the plan, poke around a little. There are people selling back issues.

Is Using a Shed Kit a Good Idea As One Makes Plans for Shed Building

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Don_Koenig]Don Koenig
We live in an increasingly complex world and often it seems that it is to our advantage to make things as simple as possible. So I begin with this basic question: When making plans for shed building in your backyard, is it best to use a pre-fabricated shed building or building the shed from scratch? Like everything else in life, the truthful answer is that it depends on your goals, confidence and experience.
Making Plans
I assume that because you are reading this you are planning to build a shed but you are still in the process of making your decision. Look, if you are an experienced carpenter or handyman you would have already made that decision, putting all of your experience to use. As a novice or a home hobbyist woodworker, you must decide several things before you begin your project. Building from a set of blueprints, providing they are the right kind of plans, offers far more flexibility in both design and space possibilities but is only slightly more complex to assemble. Of course, if you have the wrong plans then the project is doomed to being a full-blown disaster.
When I talk about the right plans I mean getting them from a source that offers a full line of designs and sizes to meet any space requirement. Those plans should also have a detailed, step-by-step set of instructions that assume that you know absolutely nothing about how to approach the task. Finally, your plans must have a full material list, down to the last nail and screw so there is no guesswork in purchasing materials needed. If you use a source like that then building from scratch is the way to go.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Of course, pre-fabricated storage sheds offer some options and have many potential advantages:
- There is a wide choice of materials available...
- Many pre-fab sheds are fully insulated and that provides an advantage if you plan on heating the shed...
- Interlocking pre-fab shed designs offer you the advantage of align and snap construction making the job more like solving a jig-saw puzzle than constructing a building...
It is important to remember that whether or not you use a pre-fabricated shed, you still have to build a sturdy foundation to hold your shed in place during high winds and storms. You must also get a permit to build the shed in most jurisdictions and pass building inspections along the way. There is no advantage either way.
Finally, when you build from scratch you have more flexibility as to where to place things like windows and doors. You also have more choices in exterior finishes like paint or stain on wood siding, shingles for the roof, and the quality of the materials you buy overall.
In truth, the final decision whether or not a pre-fabricated shed is a practical plan for building a shed as opposed to building that shed from scratch is totally dependent on how you choose to approach your project. I believe, however, that the decision may turn on how much pride you will have after the successful completion of a shed built from raw materials.
Don Koenig has been a professional carpenter and woodworker for over 25 years. He offers tips and ideas for building sheds an other woodworking projects at [http://www.designsforsheds.com]Designs for Sheds. Right now he is offering a free gift of a 24 page basic shed plan for a [http://www.designsforsheds.com/plans-for-shed-building/]12 x 8 Shed. Why not visit his site and see what all the fuss is about.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Using-a-Shed-Kit-a-Good-Idea-As-One-Makes-Plans-for-Shed-Building?&id=6674100] Is Using a Shed Kit a Good Idea As One Makes Plans for Shed Building?

Monday, February 17, 2014

How to Build a Shed The Simple Steps to Consider When Building Outdoor Storage

Building My First Shed

When I was building my first shed, thats when I learned that the old saying was true... "If you can build a house, then you can build a shed." Leaning how to build a shed takes planning, a bit of patience, and some hard work. But, if you have the time, its a monumentally rewarding experience.

The first place that you have to start is with the government. Do they have local ordinances? Do you have to get a permit? Your local zoning and building codes may require certain things. Or, if you are like me, they may restrict the type of shed due to historical society stuff. Annoying, but manageable.

Steps To Build Shed

Once youre OK with the legal stuff, its time to get to planning. The biggest decision you will need to make is whether your shed will have a concrete foundation or a cement one. Since this was my first shed, we build a wood framed one. Since then, Ive learned that a cement floor can be more sturdy and durable. But, many people only build wood shed floors. So, the choice is really up to you.

The next things you need to do when you learn how to build a shed, is realize that you need to determine whether you live in a frost zone. If the ground freezes, youll need to put in a frost protected foundation. A frost protected foundation will help your shed withstand the winter environment better, and should strongly be considered before starting to build a shed.

In terms of lumber, always use treated wood. Treated wood will resist wood rot and wood eating insects. Pressure treated lumber is great as well. Using pressure treated lumber will keep the shed from being as susceptible to "warping" due to its dramatically different climates.

Another tip that I learned on building my first shed, is to reinforce the lips of the door, especially when building a wood framed building. The door will get a lot of wear and tear. Especially if you are using the shed to store outdoor items like lawn mowers, going in and out of a door will cause a lot of damage. So, install into your shed a small metal frame over the edge of the door. This will keep the door edge from getting damaged.

Another great how to build a shed tip is to make sure your roofing material is high quality. When we are building a shed, we often think of the inside, and even the sides, and skimp on the roof. But, the roof takes the brunt of the weather. So, make sure you install both flashing, underlayment, and the same roof materials you would install the roof of a house.

And, make sure you also cover the exterior of the walls and roof with asphalt felt paper. This material will help catch any leaks that are formed with age.

But, the most important tip when building a shed is learning to be safe. Take your time and be sure that youre not in danger of injury. If you are planning your shed to be built in a weekend, build it in 3 weekends. That way, youre not in a rush and can build the shed correctly and safely.

These tips are only a few of how to build a shed. With time, patience, and hard work, your shed will be a long testament to your handiness and a great addition to your home for many, many years to come.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

A Great Source of Information from Down Under

Having been busy meeting deadlines lately, so I have been remiss when it comes to this blog. I havent had time to pick up a tool lately, either, so that is another thing that I have to correct.

I havent been completely away from the woodworking scene, though. I have picked up a number of new additions to add to the "never ending tool cabinet rebuild", and I wish I had some time to take some images and post them here, as some of it is truly nice stuff.

I have also been putting together a series of posts here, all to do with the subject of Collecting Vintage Tools. There were a few posts on this topic a few weeks ago that popped up on both Dans Workshop Blog and the Woodworking Magazines Blog and they got me thinking. In general, online vintage tool sites are both difficult to find, and difficult to navigate once you find them, so I felt that discussing these issues from start to finish was in order. As it is turning out, I think the series will be useful to many; those that buy vintage tools online, those that sell them, those that have an interest in navigating the internet, and those that have a site that they want to advance, no matter what the topic.

The first installment will be a general discussion about the supply and demand for vintage tools. The second will give a quick explanation regarding how the internet, and search engines like Google in particular, work, plus how we can all make it easier on ourselves to find online sellers. In installment three, I will be taking on the different dealers sites, making suggestions how they can better serve those of us who buy from them, plus a quick run-down on how they can, at no cost at all, move themselves up the hit list on search engines, again, making it easier for us to find them. In installment four, I will open the doors to my Bookmark file for vintage tool sites, giving some opinions on what is good about them, and what is bad, along with the reasons why they ended up in one of my four categories; Daily, Weekly, Monthly and When Bored. Finally, the one I am truly looking forward to, is the last Installment, number five. My favourite online vintage tool dealer, Jim Bode of jimbodetools.com, has agreed to answer a number of my questions regarding what he does and how he does it. It will be a quick look into the business of selling vintage tools and one that I think will be seriously interesting.

I will not be posting any of this series until all five installments are completed. Expect the first post to be up and running on November 15th, then each additional installment will be posted weekly.

I would also like to mention here another true "find" on the web, this one a site from a part-time woodworker and tool collector from Australia. I found Derek Cohens site, "In The Woodshop", by accident this morning while doing a search for shooting board plans on Google. Once there, I couldnt leave until I had read each and every post. I will be returning often as it is a repository for a wealth of information. On his home page he has links to different sections that display his interests; Building Furniture, Tool Restorations, Shop-Made Tools, Tool Reviews and Sharpening Techniques, along with a couple of other categories for Commentary and Links.

Not only does he have a pretty amazing little shop full of nothing but the best in tools, but he uses them and enjoys them. In his articles he has covered everything from building chest of drawers to building shooting boards and making his own planes. Some of his tool reviews are the best I have ever read. Check it out.... http://www.inthewoodshop.com/

Peace,

Mitchell

Monday, February 10, 2014

A Little Woodworking Safety Day Advice

Woodworking can be as dangerous as it is rewarding. Its important that you stay safe while you have fun in the shop.

Knowing that without safety there is no woodworking, The Wood Whisperer, Marc Spagnuolo, has lead the Woodworking Safety Week campaign for many years. He’s made his own posts about safety and he’s been kind enough to share links to other community members safety posts too. This years post is here.

This will be my third year writing a post for Woodworking Safety Day (formerly Safety Week). Both last year and the year before it was an easy post to write. My first safety week post was about a good friend of mine who took off two (2) fingers with a table saw. My second safety week post was about my dropping a spinning router bit into my left palm.

Luckily, this past year has left me with no injuries to speak of. Unluckily, that’s left me short of my usual cautionary tale for safety week. While I could tell you of my friend Tom’s recent kickback episode, I’ll leave that to him (Tom’s never short on things to say).

Ouch . Kickback - 1, Tom - 0. yfrog.com/ntv86rzj
— TomsWorkbench (@TomsWorkbench) April 28, 2013

Instead, this year I’m going to share some simple advice:

If you’re nervous, or what you’re doing makes you uncomfortable, don’t do it.

These are words I live by not just in my shop, but also at my day job at a commercial roofing firm. While I’m not here saying that you can’t get hurt unless you’re nervous, I will say that I feel being nervous makes you more likely to get hurt.

When we’re nervous or uncomfortable we’re also distracted. We spent too much time being nervous or uncomfortable and not enough time paying attention to what we’re doing. Getting hurt then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So please, if you’re in the shop and what you’re doing doesn’t feel right, please don’t do it. The right tool for the job, waiting for help or just resting and approaching the task with a clear head will always be faster and cheaper than your injury.

A House In The Trees Part XIV

A few weeks ago the Tree House suffered a major setback when one of the main support bolts broke. After some immediate triage consisting of temporary supports to hold up the unsupported corner and supplement the two (2) bolts which hadnt broken yet, Ive finally managed to restore the sagging tree house deck to its original position.

Finally, a jack setup that works. The deck is going up.

By using a house jack (or two) and ultimately learning that I needed to brace the jack stand against the tree and screw it together to prevent it from toppling under the weight, I was able to raise the deck back to its proper height today. Its now held there with two (2) temporary supports.

The 4" x 6" which will make the new permanent supports are ready to go. Next weekend Ill begin digging out for the posts. Once theyre attached - hopefully this month - well be back on track to paint the sides and install the decking.

Another new project a Hall Tree!

My 2 year old son has learned the joys of opening the front door as wide as he can when he gets home. In the course of this learning experience he has demolished the cheap coat rack that I bought at Wal Mart about 10 years ago. It has been on a steady decline for the last year and he finally just finished it off.

As a consequence of this my wife challenged me to make a coat rack in 2 weeks to replace it. She invisioned a board with some dowels sticking out of it screwed to the wall. Where is the challenge in that? I did some looking around at some other projects on www.Lumberjocks.com and decided to make a Hall Tree. It is going to be 5 high by 2 wide and 9" deep. It will have a shelf on top with a 2"back and a 5" stretcher underneath for hooks to attach to. The seat will be about 13" high with 2 shelves divided into 5 cubbys for shoe storage. I also plan on putting hooks on the sides. 1 at the top of each side and 1 down lower for backpack storage.

I went to Home Depot and bought 3 - 1x10x6 and 3 - 1x6x10 common boards. I think they are knotty pine. I also bought a $5 bottle of wood glue and a $.61 dowel for my son and the total came out to $44.40. Initially I was thinking that I would make it out of all 1x6s but with the 2 week deadline I opted for the more expensive 1x10s.

The 1x10s were 9.25" wide which messed me up a little because I was expecting them to be 9.5". I ripped them to 9" wide and 5 long. I ripped the 1x6s down to 5" and then used the miter saw to cut them down to 22.5" wide. I also cut one of the 1x10s into 3 - 9x22.5 boards for the seat and cubbys.

I opted to just cut an angle for the sides to slope up. My jigsaw is not working very well right now and I am not that good with it when it is working correctly so the 2 equal really crappy cuts.

I will be attaching everything using pocket holes, glue, and my nail gun.

The seat and cubbys will also have some extra supports glued and tacked underneath just to play it safe.

Cubby dividers same length as supports and 5" tall. These will be glued and tacked into place.

The next step is assembly.

A side trip to cabinetry

While working on the dollhouse, Ive taken a side venture on a cabinet face and door. This will be used to cover a set of breaker panels that is exposed. There are two panels that stick out from the wall by 1 1/4", so this is going to be a large frame and door. Im making this out of maple also so it can be stained...

Here I am making the door and panels. I am using mortise and tenon joinery. I like this joinery because it always tests my skills, and also makes for a very strong set of joints.

Ive made a frame thats 1 1/2" thick, and mounted the hardware and door to it to make sure everything is copasetic....

Perfect!

Ive taken the hinges off and started staining. Im using a warm cherry stain, and a few coats of high gloss poly to protect. Not bad for a two day project...

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

A Return To Siding

Ive been working on re-siding the front of my house for about two years. Between the white cedar perfections & PVC trim, its been slow going. With the coming of spring Ive been focusing on closing up the few open items before taking more down.
To that end, I installed half of my rake trim last weekend. Today, before I could install the second half of rake trim, I had to finish the last bit of cedar siding on the gable end.
I began by shingling up to the top of the window. I then I fit & soldered the window cap, allowing me to finish the shingles on the gable end.
Its not furniture making, but installing cedar perfections is one of the most relaxing forms of Woodworking I know of. Each piece is fit with a few passes of a block plane and attached with two hand driven nails.
Throughout the day I snuck into the shop and managed to install the jam extension for the first window. It was a good day. Both of my projects moved forward.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Guide How to design a home woodworking shop

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How To Design A Home Woodworking Shop

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Friday, January 24, 2014

Petersburg Mi Making a Mantle Part III

The recess for the cleat has been made, and the mantle has been sanded and prepped. Its time for the stain. You can see the cleat recess in this picture. Ill start the staining process today...