Current projects

[D for Dusty]

I looked high and low for a discussion topic on "current projects" here in the forum but couldnt find one. I could have sworn there was one. So thought I would start one now..Havent posted for awhile, but read someplace in here recently everyone must be busy with projects and the gift making for the holidays...Here is my most recent project, 99 1/2% completed. I still have to round the edges, sand and finish. Its a bench table I started in my class and was able to bring pieces home and doing most of the work here..I hope I can remember the process of uploading the files....I will try to attach a picture as it looks as a table and one with the top flipped up as a bench..It was a fun project to do...

[D for Dusty]

It didnt work!!!!!..Trying again here...

[D for Dusty]

ok it worked that time..Heres the benchtable with the top flipped up...

[D for Dusty]

Thanks Daisy..This was a fun, easy (except for the mortise and tenons, ugh) project to make.
It may look top heavy that way but isnt. The sides are 1 1/2 inches thick and 13 1/2 inches wide. Its a very heavy table.. We will be using it for a table most of the time and storing cribbage boards, cards etc on the bench part. The plans are from, American Woodworker Country Pine by Bill Hylton..Its a great book.

[handi]

Dusty,

Good to see you've been busy, very nice bench/table. I've always been partial to that type of furniture design.

Currently I am finishing up on my 4th project for Woodworker's Journal. It's a pretty cool reproduction and my first furniture article.

What is everyone else up to?

Ralph

[Dusty (Guest)]

Hi Handi...
Hows the weather in NH?? Probably just about the same as here in Maine...getting colder every day..but was gorgeous today..
Just put a coat of polyurethane on it this evening. Its turning out really pretty..My current project is a gateleg table made of maple..Its a bit more complicated, but doable..so will take my time in doing so...I will send a picture this way when I get it home. This plan is out of the Sept/Oct "Handi" magazine..oops I mean "Handy"..smile..

[Sue]

Great looking table/bench. You did a fantastic job by the looks!

Right now I'm working on several things but my biggest job is making custom oak window valences. Each one is 12" high by 6" deep and varying lengths depending on the window. Each one has an arch cut into it, crown molding, a top overhanging the crown molding and a decorative (purchased) embossed carving.

I'm also trying to give myself a crash course in learning the lathe. I was just able to purchase a used General lathe, model 160. It only had about 4 hours of use on it and I got it, along with some accessories and tools for just over half price of what it would be new. I have found a mentor and he is probably going to be able to get me some work once my skills are built up. So far I think turning is a lot of fun...and I haven't even tried bowls yet!

Sue

[Weez]

Great looking bench Dusty! That looks like a nice vercital piece of funtiture to have around. I myself have been working on a computer desk for a friend of mine. Getting ready to start the assemble. I always get nervous when I am this close to finishing someting and I still have routing and detailing to do. One small slip and you have to start all over. Happened once and now I get skiddish each time.

Weez

[Dusty (Guest)]

Thanks Weez
Since this picture I have finished the table completely. I rounded the corners and polyurethaned it and is now in the garage waiting for the smell to disappear a little before bringing it into the house..It turned out good and am very satisfied with the finished result.
As a matter of fact, I got the router out to round over the edges, but stopped..The router is the first piece of woodworking related tool I ever bought..The router is still the one that I feel uncomfortable with, not because of accident so much but because of the finish work and getting so far and messing it up. I put it away and hand sanded the edges. I need alot of practicing with that tool..
Have a great day...
MarciaD

[lynn]

Dusty,
Nice table! Cool trick with it flipping up.
I am currently working on Holiday gifts. I picked up my first scroll saw about 4 months ago and have been playing with that. Right now I have my spare room full of 3-D snowflakes that are waiting for a finish. Also, working on a couple Christmas tree music boxes. And finishing up a couple music boxes to send to a store I sell at. After that, I started a coffee table, for myself about 4 weeks ago. Want to finish that up. Tired of the old one!
Great work. Keep on making sawdust.

lynn

"hope springs eternal"

[Dusty (Guest)]

Thanks Lynn
I am currently looking at some snowflakes myself to make...I want to do so much with so little time...I was going to send a picture of the finished table but realized its on my other computer..so will have to send the picture to myself in email here and than I will get it sent out..Also the gateleg table Im working on in class is coming along pretty good....I started attaching the maple banding to the table top last week. A few new techniques are involved which is a good thing..I thought it was over my head but realized its just because of new things..I fully understood the technique when the instructor explained it to me..I just love doing this stuff....You all have a great weekend...and dont forget to set your clocks tonite?????
Goodnite...
MarciaD

[Johanna]

I am working on two projects: the table for my class in Santa Fe and a little cabinet that will hold mail. As you may have read on this board, I dropped other projects last week to work on my mother's funeral urn.

The table is coming along pretty well. I will post a new report on the board to continue the woodworking course saga.

The cabinet is going to get some changes. I now know why a couple of shelves cupped: 1) I should have checked more carefully for square -- I'll have to cut that panel apart and use it for one of the narrower ones; and 2) I never knew you should sticker your workpieces after milling them!

The cabinet is made of red oak - about 34" tall by 16" wide by 12" deep. It has two open shelves at the top for telephone books. The bottom 2/3 has a door. Inside are two drawers for personal mail (one for me, one for Joanne -- and I think I will engrave names on each drawer!) and two adjustable shelves. The idea is to have room to stash all the mail that is currently cluttering the kitchen counter! The cabinet fits neatly under the counter. It is southwestern design -- the top of each side is "stepped" so that the top shelf is set back a bit from the second shelf. The door will have cutouts like the woodbox that is on my photo site (http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1246401). I will post a picture when I finish the cabinet.

Johanna

[Wyndscape]

Johanna:

What beautiful work you do! I especailly liked the dovetailing on the firewood box ... exquisite.

Thanks for sharing it with us!

God bless,
Josh

[DianeMaluso]

Lately I've become obsessed with my lathe. I'm in the process of putting together a vacuum chucking system (still have no idea what I'm doing) and just finished this bowl.

It's about 10.5 inches across at the rim. The wood is Box Elder. Thickness is about 1/4" and the wall/bottom thickness was by far the most consistent and thin I've managed so far. The finish is Tried and True Original hand-rubbed under Beall waxing. As for the shape, I just tried to follow some of Bill Grumbine's advice. When he was giving me a turning lesson he suggested that some of the most pleasing bowl shapes are based on natural objects. One or two came to mind when I shaped this piece.


http://www.theworks.baka.com/wood/elderbowltop.jpg

http://www.theworks.baka.com/wood/elderbowlside.jpg

http://www.theworks.baka.com/wood/elderbowlbottom.jpg


Thanks for looking.

Diane
Ithaca, NY

[handi (Guest)]

Diane,

Beautiful work.

I too am often obsessed with the lathe. It is one piece of equipment that I'm not highly skilled with, but that I take great pleasure in using.

Ralph

[woodworm]

Hi Diane,

Nice work.
I, too, am obsessed with my lathe. Just love what I turn out--some things return to the scrap pile if I get over zealous and make the bottom too thin..I have learned to slow down a bit and measure more often.
On your box elder bowl, did you superglue around the knots that are shown as you turned?
I've had little luck on turning with a knot present unless I super glue the knot in place. Seems the vibration alone can loosen it.
Again, my compliments on your work.

Ginny

[John Lucas]

It is nice to see such work on this forum... and any forum. We mostly see words, so that when you see a picture of a completed project, it is doubly meaningful.
I do want to add that a rounding over bit is the least bit and router cut to be afraid of. There are some tricks to using it: 1) start with less of it exposed...you can always add to the depth...you can't get it back. 2) be sure that the bearing has something to come into contact with...this is particulary when you are rounding over top and bottom edges. If the cutter is low and the stock thin, the bearing may ride against the already curved top and not give you what you want. 3) always make a practice piece...and 4) work so that your pressure is on the router on the table top side...it is very easy, and disasterous, to have the router "lean" over the unsupported edge.
That said, hand sanding and rounding over looks more and more appealing. (just kidding...just practise the cut with the router. It is a good use.)
John Lucas
www.woodshopdemos.com (http://www.woodshopdemos.com)

[DianeMaluso]

Hi Ginny.
Thanks for the compliment on the bowl. Yes, I superglued around the knot. I use the thin stuff with a spray accelerator.

Diane

[DianeMaluso]

Here's a cherry bowl I made this past weekend. The wood is from David Propst. Thanks, David! Grain was wild and unruly but truly beautiful. The photos don't really capture it. I had only a couple of very minor catches making this one and that felt very good. On the other hand, I'm not sure which I hate more: the toolrest with its dings or the scraper with its square edges that catch in the dings. Or maybe its the way the toolpost banjo refuses to clamp down correctly. Or maybe I'm just trying to work myself up into a good excuse to buy the new Nova when it comes out. Anyway, the bowl is just over 8 inches at the rim. Wall thickness is 3/8" everywhere except a little extra thickness at the rim. Finish is Tried and True original followed by a waxing by Beall. This one's a birthday present for my partner. Thanks for looking. ........Diane


http://www.theworks.baka.com/wood/chbowl1.jpg
http://www.theworks.baka.com/wood/chbowl2.jpg
http://www.theworks.baka.com/wood/chbowl3.jpg

[Alice in Michigan]

Diane,

Thanks for sharing your work with us. It certainly is lovely. Very inspiring.

Alice

[Wyndscape]

Daisy:

I looked over your photo site, and I must say, you do beautiful, beautiful work! Thank you for allowing me to peruse it!

God bless,
Josh

[JoeC (Guest)]

Diane, I really like your bowls, you do very nice work. I've done a little turning but just some pens, a pair of lamps and one very small bowl. I'd love to learn to do the bigger bowls and eventually segmented bowls. I use the lathe on my Shopsmith and it seems adequate so far.
Looks like I'm a neighbor of yours - Endicott. Know of any woodworking or turning groups in the area?
Thanks and again congratulations on your turnings.

[Wyndscape]

Again, Terrific work, Daisy! I really enjoyed the slide show!

Like you, I'm fascinated by the finishing portion of the project. I am, sadly, nowhere near as accomplished as you are, and that's the level I seek. I try to find pieces that are in need of refinishing at garage sales, the thrift store ... places like that can be a gold mine sometimes. But, I've also made up my mind not to worry about devaluation of the piece by completely re-doing the finish, so I don't sweat bullets; one never knows when one has a true treasure on hand, right? ;)

At any rate, you do beautiful work, and I pray that you will have success in your shop endeavor. Your talent deserves reward.

God bless,
Josh :)

[thepapabear]

Daisy,
I am a newbie, but I have been reading and looking on the web for about 2 or 3 months. I made my first project at a weekend class, but I have not done any of the finishing as yet.
Your work looks wonderful. You take good photographs too.
Keep up the great work. :-)
Thepapabear

[JenellFROG (Guest)]

Hi Dusty,
Great work! I'd love to be able to make that table/bench... where did you get the plans?

I'm new to the forum....how do I post a picture with a message? I assume the pictures should be a JPG format, but I just need help in getting started.

Thanks!!
Jenell

[Wyndscape]

Daisy:

Once again, I must say, you do absolutely beautiful work. I am truly impressed. Thank you for sharing.

Can I ask you how you did the top? I've been interested in domed tops for chests for some time, and just wonder how you did yours -- a series of staves, or a piece of bending plywood, or some other method yet unknown to me. :)

Thanks again for sharing them!

God bless,
Josh

[Wyndscape]

Thanks, Daisy, that DOES help! :)

I'll probably be giving it a try next year (meaning, when the weather lets up here and I can get glue to dry again). I hope to make a toy box for my newborn son and a hope chest or two; I may tackle a steamer trunk that I'll try to sell in a garage sale or something like that. Or an ad in the paper. I dunno -- making it is the easy part, selling it is the hard part. ;)

At any rate, thanks! To help with glue-up, a detail plate joiner may work. Have you considered using that? (Most likely you have and rejected the idea, but I thought I'd suggest in the off chance it hadn't occured to you. LOL.)

Thanks again, Daisy, and God bless!
Josh

[Wyndscape]

Daisy:

Yes, the amount of sanding would be scary; exposing a biscuit after all that work would be a bummer. But, that's the beauty of the DETAIL plate joiner -- if you used, say, the Ryobi DBJ50, you could position the biscuits near the middle and the slots (and subsequent joining plates) would be THINNER than the PC's -- even the FF size.

It's about a $70 tool pretty much anywhere. Just a thought. When you make another piece, PLEASE let us all see it!

Thanks so much, and God bless,
Josh

[D for Dusty]

Hi Jenell..sorry i didnt get back to you before this, but just noticed your message...The plan for the bench/table came from Amercian Woodworker Country Pine by Bill Hylton..Its a very nice hardcover book. As far as attaching a picture to your posting, let me try to remember myself..I havent been here for along time..
When your responding to a message such as I am, you will see above whre it says "click here to upload your file"..Click there...click on jpeg (if thats the extension for your file), then browse button,find a picture you want to upload, click on it,from there it should appear in the line to upload?? Click upload file, and here is where i go wrong after not doing it for awhile..after hitting upload it will tell you, "file was successfully uploaded..highlite the http address, cut and paste it into the body of your message here...and it should work..the picture should appear..than hit send. I hope this works..I have attached a picture of a wine rack i currently made here at home..Not a part of it was made in my class.HOpe this helps and good luck with your attempt..
Marcia

[Alice in Michigan]

Now this isn't as high-end as some of your work but, darn it, I finally made it through a project without hurting myself and being unable to complete it in a timely manner. So that's something right there! (Don't worry. I'm only dangerous to myself. Really.)

I got tired of my little benchtop router table and decided to treat myself to Rockler's nice full-size top. Since I have a houseful of cabinets to make for the house my husband and I built, I thought that a cabinet for this router table would be a good place to practice some skills. It's made from solid beech and birch plywood. I made a bunch of mistakes, particularly when it came to properly sizing and hinging the doors. But I did learn from them and I (hopefully!) will not make them again. (There are so many other mistakes out there just waiting for me, I want to be fair to them all.) ;-)





I don't as yet have a rail/stile set for my router so I used my handy-dandy Kreg jig to join the frames for the doors and the drawer front. The face frame for the cabinet is assembled this way, as well.

Alice

[barbsiddiqui]

That is some kind of beautiful! And I always enjoy hearing stories of people making things with what they Have, rather than going out to buy something a plan calls for. Your doors look perfect, and I'm sure your house cabinets will benefit from the experience. Nice work! It'll make you feel good every time you use it. Thanks for the photos. -Barb S.

[Alice in Michigan]

Thanks for the kind words, Barb. I always look forward to learning something new from your monthly columns but sometimes there's just nothing that sinks in better than learning from your own mistakes. (I expect at this rate I'll be a rocket scientist in no time!)

;-)

Alice