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A few weeks ago, my buddy Rich and I went out to Wings and Rings to watch the Bengals football game. While there, we shot the breeze and I mentioned that I bought these pipe clamp lifters online. I told him that they were made on a 3D printer. He told me that he could make those on his 3D printer and that there is a website called http://www.yeggi.com where you can search for free downloads of woodworking tools and jigs.

I checked out Yeggi and saw that they had Golden Ratio calipers and asked if he could make a pair. I bought a pair on Etsy years ago but they were smaller than I thought they would be. Rich made me two larger size on his 3D printer.

Then this weekend, he came over and gave me more stuff he printed for my birthday. I was shocked when he handed me this box. It was completely printed with my logo on it on his printer. Then inside were over twenty french curves I can use for designing furniture.

Then he gave me a really cool set of roundover jigs. This was another free plan he downloaded. It comes with seven different sizes. It’s an awesome gift!

So now my mind is spinning with what else he can print for me. I told Rich I’d pay him for his time, but he said when he puts in the download, he just goes to bed and when he wakes up in the morning, the item is printed. He told me just to pay for the filliment. What do you think I should have Rich make next?

Heute habe ich den kleinen Ulmia Hilfsspannstock entrosten und frisch geölt. Das stand lange auf der To-Do liste

 

Today I derusted and oiled a Umia Hilfaspannstock, (Helping Vise?).

 

 

 

 Last time I was home, I bought a Mafell ZSE 330K. It was for sale in the northern part of Germany, just about an hour or so south of the border, so I was lucky since most of the machines I find for sale in Germany are situated in the southern part of the country.

It came with a transport cart for use on the job site, but I wanted to make a box where it could be stored and also where I could keep any tools needed for the regular use of the machine.

I happened to have some thin larch boards that I had milled once, and there was just enough to make the sides of the box. They were planed int he thickness planer and ripped before gluing them into some panels.

The panels were trimmed to size on the table saw, and I marked up for some dovetails. Since it was going to be a tool box, I opted for regular through dovetails. With pins on the end boards where I would mount some chest lifts.

I gang cut the tails, and after some uneventful chiseling, I could mark the pins. Some more chiseling and the sides were assembled. 
I hadn't really planned on what to use for a bottom, but I didn't want the box to be heavier than needed since the Mafell itself is no light weight machine. I had a piece of 15 mm plywood, and I planed a rabbet along all sides of it so the bottom would fit inside the sides and still have a flat part to be glued to the underside of the sides. This also allowed me to nail from the sides as well as straight from the bottom to give a strong joint.

Fitting out the box was an incredible enjoyable and relaxing part of the project. I was in no hurry, and I tried to not fuss too much over ultra fine finishing details. 
The fence for the saw is kept in the bottom, around it, there were room for the tools needed to adjust and service the saw. I included 3 spanners, a screwdriver and chain saw file. There is also a room for the riving knife and the chain + saw bar. I drew a line around each part and wrote what should go where. 

When the interior was fitted, I mounted a set of chest lifts. To give a bit more for the screws to bite into, I glued a small piece of plywood to the inside where each lift was going to be.

The lid was made from an old glued panel from an old solid kitchen cabinet door (or something like that). It was a panel that I had kept on the loft of the barn for purposes like this. 
To keep the lid from scooting around, I added some strips on the underside, that works as dust seals as well as helping to keep the lid in place. I didn't mount any hinges or any locking devices. The idea is that you can just lift of the entire lid and gain access to the saw and tools. I was afraid that if I had hinged the lid, I would have to add straps or similar to prevent it from falling over and ripping the hinge screws out. And all that would just make it more difficult to reach inside the box.
I was happy to see, that when everything was in place, there was still room for a 5 L jug of chain saw bar oil. So the box contains all that I need to use the saw at any job sites.

 

 250mm long33 mm deep0,3mm thin   Pedderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692353908068506678noreply@blogger.com0

 Fingers crossed, but I think tomorrow I'll be posting the glamour pics of the latest to come out of Ralphie's shop. I probably could have done it today but I want the paint to dry and eyeball it all over before I pull that trigger.

hmm.....

Sharpened and tested. I could see and feel an improvement over the last time I did this. Now we'll see how well the edge holds up. I remember it dulling quickly.

snap catch done

The top of the catch on the right is slightly above the catch on the left. I'm leaving it as is because the right keeper is not the same size as the catch.

hmm.....

There is a gap at the back. Not sure if I will do anything about it. I doubt a box of cereal will fall down through it.

trimming and fitting next

Cleaned the glass and trimming and fitting the retainers was in the batters box. I didn't use any glazier's points, instead I'm relying solely on the retainers to hold the glass in place.

sigh

Getting better at fitting miters but they still manage to bite me on the arse. I cut this miter in the wrong direction. There wasn't enough length to saw it in the correct one. Too big of a gap to fill with veneer so I'll have to make a new one.

3 of 4 done

I decided to make four new retainers so each one of them would be the same. I used one of the retainers for the last one to replace the one with a gap.

last four

Got two coats of paint on them and went on my post lunch stroll.

forgot this

Part of the thought that went into this compressor. This is the drain for the tank to let out moisture. This one is a ball valve whereas the pancake compressor has a screw in/out valve.

what's my IQ?

My 1/2" nails came in and I felt like I had a single digit IQ trying to open this. After fighting with it for a bazillion years, I cut it with a sheet rock knife. I understand the purpose of the nubs on the part on the towel but I could only pull it out about 3/8" and then nada.

done

The last of the retainers are nailed in placed. All that is left is to paint the tops of them.

will it be sharp enough?

I didn't rough saw the miter but left the end square. I think that will be a better test of how sharp the chisel is.

much better

No problems, hesitation, or hiccups mitering this end in the jig. It mitered this end as effortlessly as the big chisel I used for the door. It feels sharper and easier going through the wood then the last time I tried this. Fingers crossed the edge will hold.

accidental woodworker 

Last episode we left off with the outline drawn. I drilled multiple holes inside the lines and then worked on cutting them out. I used a jigsaw as my coping saw wasn't deep enough. In exchange for the increased dust and noise, it worked a lot quicker.

coping saw can't reach to the middle jigsawn

I also made ogee curves on the bottoms of the sides and on a toekick. My bandsaw has a wide blade which isn't ideal for tight curves, but it can get close if there are relief cuts.

relief cuts before bandsawing cut close to line

With all the shapes and curves cut out, I tried to file the rough edges smooth. My favorite files are the Lee Valley 'Milled-Tooth Files' but they don't fit everywhere. I don't or can't make the edges perfectly smooth, I just try to even out the rough spots.

some of these were the cheapest money could buy 20 years ago using saw teeth like a file to get into the corners

During the sneak peek I didn't like the overall shape or appearance. It seemed too top heavy, or the top shelf cavity was as large or larger than the bottom. So I cut 1.5" off the top.

the top fell off

The tabletop is just over 1" thick. I rounded over the edges. I tried using one of my new molding planes which worked ok on the long grain and not so well on the end grain. I mostly made the roundover with a #4 plane and used the molding plane as a gauge to check my progress.

wide molding plane for thick tabletop roundover corner

For fastening I ordered some 3d (1.25" long) cut nails. As this may be a porch table I went for galvanized. I could have used different lengths for different parts of the project, but didn't want to order (didn't want to pay for) multiple sizes.

3d rosehead nails from tremont this is why we practice. 7/64 was too small of a pilot hole.

I used a cutoff to mark where the nails would go. Then drilled small holes from the inside face through the dados. Then I drilled the full sized 1/8" pilot holes from the outside. Later I would dry fit and drill the remaining half of the pilot hole into the shelves. I preplaced the nails with just their tips poking through before gluing up.

scrap to layout nail locations

For finishing I used tie dye. I made a sample board of blue tie dye with one coat, two coats, or two coats followed by oil. I chose #23, "Cerulean Blue" with two coats, without oil.

sample board. bottom row has oil which does not look good.

It was difficult to apply the dye to the filed edges of the curves. In some places the wood was too rough for rags and foam. In other places it was too tight to get something in there. For the flat surfaces I used a cotton rag. The dye did not penetrate well into the grain, which I guess is a characteristic of woods like this (sassafras).

dye detail after one coat

I was having problems due to the dye applying unevenly in some areas. I realized it was due to not planing/scraping/sanding fully. So if some of the areas look streaky or splotchy, I think it's more my prep work than the dye.

hand plane tracks. I should've cleaned up more. unplaned (dark) vs planed (light)

I used about 4-6 fluid ounces of dye. I bet that comes out to less than 50 cents.

dye and brushes and rags

I'm not sure if this will be an outside table. If so I don't plan on putting any top coat on. If it ends up living inside I may apply lacquer or wax.

I did all of the dying before assembly. I didn't want to be wiping into corners. I glued up with tite bond II. First just the two sides and two shelves. All of the joints are end grain to long grain. I coat the end grain with glue twice. After nailing there was no need for clamps. I inserted the toekick and top rail to keep it square.

nailed and glued

I added strips to double up the back of the shelves. This is so when I nail on the backboards I am aiming at a wider target. They probably were not necessary. I also glued and nailed the toekick and two top rails.

doubling up the back of the shelves I was hesitant to nail so close to the edges

The top is fastened with screws going up through the top rails. Since the top and the sides are the same species and same orientation I didn't need to make slots or allowances for movement.

with top, without back

The back slats are made with leftovers from resawing. They are less than 1/4" thick. I fastened the two outer boards and then traced and sawed the middle board to fit. They are butted together without grooves or rabbets. I did glue the outer boards to the sides. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

Sheikah Table

23" tall, 18" wide, 17" deep

side 1 front side 2 back eye to eye

I recently needed to make some wall-shelves. I needed three, they needed to fit on a specific wall, and they had to be made of a light-coloured wood. I didn’t have any other criteria or requirements.

The piece of wood I chose to use was a yellow birch cant about 4 x 6 x 36 inches. My first thought was to run it through the bandsaw to resaw it into three shelves roughly 1.3 x 6 x 6 inches, then joint and plane them flat and parallel. It would have been a straightforward process, but I realized that there was a more efficient, and interesting way to make the shelves. It became obvious when I thought about how shelves are used:

Shelves are mostly decorative, with only one surface (the top) functional. Therefore, only that one surface needed to be flat and smooth to hold items and facilitate cleaning, as dust doesn’t tend to accumulate on the bottom of shelves. The other surfaces could be rough, so I could skip the step of planing that side. The bandsawn texture would be interesting and tactile. However, a bandsawn texture can only be created with a bandsaw, and any subsequent processing of the surface changes it. Attempting to adjust or correct the shape in any way would result in an irregular pattern of texture (e.g. a smooth spot). Therefore, the cut made by the bandsaw must be perfect.

Take the following for example. (A) is the desired outcome, where all sides are straight and parallel – a rectangle. However, if the bandsaw’s fence isn’t aligned properly, the blade wanders, or the line is not followed, a taper (B) is the result. Likewise, deviating from the line can result in a convex (C) or concave (D) surface. All of these conditions can be corrected, but would require additional work with the thickness planer (or similar tool) which, as mentioned before, would also remove the tactile surface left from the bandsaw.

With only a little more work, I could make the shelves more interesting by adding some curves. Plus, any irregularity in the cut would be imperceptible.

So, that’s what I did.

After sawing the curves, I used a foam sanding block to gently smooth the texture, ease the sharp corners, and remove the fuzzies. Then I used my best crosscut blade to cut them to length, applied three coats of semi-gloss polyurethane, and installed them on the wall with steel tapered connectors.

If you don’t incorporate curves into your work, I encourage you to try. Here are some of my favourite tools to work with curves:

• Bandsaw, jigsaw, and coping saw
• Coarse, hand-cut rasps, rotary and belt sanders with coarse sandpaper
• Chisels, carving gouges, and drawknives
• Arbortech power carving attachments for angle grinders

I don’t often lay out curves before shaping them, but when I do, these are the tools I may use:

• Flexible battens (strips of wood)
• French curve templates
• Adjustable compass with pencil, and a trammel for large arcs
• Pencil, used freehand

These are my top tips for working with curves:

• When using saws to cut curves, making all your movements smooth will generally lead to smoother curves
• Trust your eye and hands – when it looks good and feels good, it’s good
• Cut joinery before adding curves, or at least make sure you save reference surfaces when shaping
• Be aware where your joinery and fasteners are so you don’t expose them or hit your tools on them

Let me know if you have questions about adding curves to woodwork.

Over Labor Day Weekend I was once again a presenter/demonstrator at my friend TimD’s Historic Trades Fair in the central part of our county.  There were several dozen artisans there, including the leather/fur seamstress I shared a tent with, blacksmiths and sheet metal workers, premium woodworkers, gunsmiths, tailors and much more.  Tim thinks he will max out with about fifty demonstrators in the next couple years.

And there I was doing my thing, presenting myself as a congenial woodworker with a complete shop while working on a Gragg Elastic Chair and engaging with the many visitors who stopped to ask about it.

The setting is nothing short of spectacular and the weather was absolutely perfect.

 Not sure that it is the penultimate upcoming, but the end isn't far behind. Door is hinged and it is going to take a couple of rounds of painting before it is done 100%. The completion is coming at the right time as I have already turned my attention to my daughter's spice rack holder thing. 

hinging the carcass

Installing hinges at one time filled me with a fear that almost crippled me. Something little always plagued me that threw the installation off. Mortise gains chopped too deep, notches made too small or too big. Another big headache was misalignment between the door and the carcass hinges. Today no such hiccups or problems. 

Hinging the door went off without a hitch. It was made easier because the width of the hinge matched the thickness of the door edge perfectly. No worries about blowing out the thin web of wood at the edge of the hinge leaf. 

I started the hinging of the carcass with the top hinge first. Many thanks to Paul Sellers for showing this way of hinging doors. Got the hinge notch done and the hinge sitting in it flush and then marked the position the of bottom hinge.

I put one screw in that hinge (middle one) and knifed the 3 edges. So much easier doing the hinges this way. It is almost impossible to screw it up because if it could happen, I would be first in line to do it.

top margin

Most of the wiggle room is at the top. The bottom margin is a piece of paper gap. Something most have slipped on me when I laid out for the top hinge. Not a deal killer as the top margin is good as is.

won't close

I was expecting this - I knew the width might be too wide. The bottom of the door while it clears, the margin there needs to be a few frog hairs wider. 

took 3 plane and fit trips

I had to plane the latch side and the bottom of the door to fit it to the opening. It took 3 tries. It fit after the first planing run but the margins on the side and bottom were still too tight. The 2nd run was good and the third one was for the thickness of the paint to come.

hmm.....

The door swings into the interior too much. It is a 1/4" before it hits the front edge of the shelf. I needed to come up with a door stop that stops the door flush with the cabinet edge.

nope

There isn't enough room in front of the shelves to put a door stop. I will have to place it either at the top or bottom where there aren't any shelf sleeves. 

top door stop

This worked and I temporarily secured it with a couple of brads. The door however, had other ideas as the bottom toed in slightly as the door closed against the top stop.

bottom stop

The first way I thought of positioning it was parallel to the front edge. Nixed that because not only did it look out of place, it could possible be a hindrance. Positioned this way would work and take up less space and much less of a chance of it getting in the way.

better

Cut it down to less than 1/2 the length and secured it with epoxy. I scraped the shellac off down to bare wood first.

came today

You gotta love Prime. This was waiting when I got back from my post lunch stroll.

Makita MAC320Q

I like the look of this compressor. It weighs a little more than 50 pounds. I don't know what the pancake compressor weighed but this one is lighter. It is also easier to pick up and move around. Better balance from the handle and not as awkward feeling moving it around.

command central

Nice layout of the two gauges - left one is tank pressure and the 2nd one is the output. The black knob between sets the output pressure to the tool. The pancake which was a 6gal didn't have twin couplers on the output. Something that I doubt I will ever use.

works

Pin nails shot through a scrap of poplar. Worked flawlessly. The only hiccup is I still can't find a source for pin nails for this gun. It is made in Taiwan and so far I haven't find anyone that sells the gun or pin nails. 

I sharpened it a few years ago but it didn't hold its edge at all. However, I think since that sharpening I've upped my game on sharpening and I'm going to try it again. 

This coupler works differently than my other ones. To disengage you have to push it forward by grasping the red part, then pull back on the black part to remove the coupler from the gun. The part that matters is that it fits the nailer and the compressor. Engaging and disengaging will become commonplace with use.

nice touch

It has built cord storage. All and all this is a well thought out compressor. I didn't see any blemishes or crappy welds. The compressor is also a lot quieter than the pancake one was. That sounded like a diesel with an attitude when cycling. This is easily half as quiet. Even with my hearing I could hear a big difference.

closing in

Got the snap catch on the door installed. First coat of paint on the edges I planed. The plan is to get the 2nd coat after dinner.

storage

Not the one I wanted but I had to use because of the length. Needed it for the tire pressure gauge. The oil is for my Paslode finish nailer. The other 3 guns are oil free.

beater chisel

I have 3 of these Stanley chisels that I use when I don't want to risk my good bench chisels. I sharpened it a few years ago but it didn't hold its edge at all. However, I think since that sharpening I've upped my game on sharpening and I'm going to try it again.

hmm.....

There was a big chip on the left side that ate up a lot of calories removing on the runway. The toe of the bevel had a funny looking edge while doing this. It is hard to describe but it was nothing like I have seen when sharpening my good bench chisels. 

stopped here

Got it square and I raised a consistent burr on the back. I'll finish this in the AM.

accidental woodworker

 Went on my post lunch stroll today for the first time in 5 days. Everything went fine and it was like there hadn't been a lull in the routine. I was expecting to be a little winded but I wasn't. Took me the same 2 hours that it has taken me all summer. Rain is coming again in a few days and I refuse to stroll in the rain. Because after all I ain't Gene Kelly.

hmm....

I thought I was going to put the final coat on the door but it didn't happen boys and girls. I must have pulled out the putty in these tear outs when I wiped them with the damp rag. No dead line on completion but this time I won't wipe it with a damp rag.

glass was ready

Checked that the glass fit in each of the individual lites. The compressor hadn't come in when I snapped this pic. This side is done with painting but the face side will take another day.

compressor cart

This is history mostly because I don't like it (it is tippy) and it won't fit the new Makita compressor. The plan was to salvage as much of it as I could for some other use.

this is it

A dowel, four swivel, lockable casters, and 16 #10 philips head screws. I shitcanned everything else as unusable.

hmmm....

There is the 16th margin at the top and bottom but zero on the width. It is a kinda tight snug fit there. 

latch side

I planed this side just enough for the door to be a slip fit on the latch side. I will do the final planing and fitting after I get the hinges installed.

came as promised

When I checked this AM all it said was the notice to ship was received. It was being set on my front porch just as I got back to barn from strolling.

hinges came too

I was also expecting to get some shelf sleeves from Lee Valley but the UPS guy said they weren't on his truck. I had called Lee Valley to order them because I couldn't find them on line. Turns out that the 'sleeves' were caught up in the tariff wars. The rep told me anything with steel or aluminum in it can't be sold to the USA so that is why it wasn't online. The CS rep checked the US inventory and I bought 400 sleeves from the Nevada warehouse. Paid to call and ask about them.

hmm.....

The tank pressurized and cutout at 135PSI (cutout is 135PSI). The knob to regulate the output to the couplers worked flawlessly. No problems varying the output from 80 to 110 PSI - I usually set it for the pin nailer at 90 and 100 for the 18 gauge nailer.

However, the pin nailer wouldn't fire. The compressor was spitting out air as soon as I hooked the pin nailer up. At first I thought it was leaking/blowing by the couplers on the compressor. This air nozzle gun proved that wasn't so. It seated in the coupler with no blow by and worked flawlessly when I pressed the handle.

wrong rabbet hole

I thought the nipple on the air hose was the problem. It wasn't the problem but the compressor/air hose/nail gun was spitting out air from somewhere.

found it

The culprit was found. I got my money's worth out of this hose. I bought it around the same time I got the compressor. I had zero experience with compressors at the time I bought the pancake one but I instantly did not like the straight line hose that came with it. I got this one from Woodworker's Warehouse (defunct) where I was a manager. (Imagine selling tools and getting paid for it)

fingers crossed

I doubt it but I am optimistic that this is the final coat. Either way I'll be hinging in the AM. The goal will be getting the door hung and fitted then.

accidental woodworker

 Can I get a collective readership ouch? First thing this AM I was at Home Depot returning the defective Dewalt compressor. Done. The HD rep credited my card balance and then my card took a big hit. Ordered a Makita compressor, model MAC320Q for $411 and change. It is a small, oil free, 3 gallon hot dog compressor and it is has a noise level of 60db. It is part of Makita's quiet series of compressors. It has the perfect size/performance for what I will use it for in my shop

Got free delivery and supposedly I'll have it tomorrow. Got great customer service from Donna at HD. Everything went smooth as silk and she even offered to track it for me if needed.

filled in tear out

Did this last night after dinner. Filled in the tearout on both sides. Sanded with 220 grit and wiped down with a damp rag. Ready for paint.

practice pays off

All of the tails look this good. No gaps - the joint lines are all tight. This is something I have wanted to achieve since I saw my first dovetail being  done.

pins

Ditto for the pins. After 15 years (?) I think I finally think I can say I arrived. I'm proud of the dovetails I am doing. Hopefully I won't be eating this hubris the next time I do them.

inside peek

The inside corners are not 100% gap free. I am getting better at it but they aren't as good as the outside is.

need a 2nd one

The one on top is for 21 gauge nails. The one I'm about to make is for 18 gauge nails. I had hard time finding 21 gauge nails. It seems the standard pin nail now is 23 gauge. I found some 21ga 1/2" nails on Wally World's site for $18. I need them to secure the glass retainer bars.

dividers

Clamped all four together and rasped the waste away.

done

Dividers rasped and sanded but still awaiting erasure of layout lines. Flushed the top and bottom of the nail box. Killed the lights here for the day. I'll finish this in the AM.

Didn't get much time in the shop today. But I did manage to get a couple coats of shellac on the carcass and another coat of paint on the door. Checked the fit of the door and it is now too snug. I will have to plane the latch side to get clearance for the door to open/close.

Got the glass ordered for the door and I'll have it tomorrow. Going to HD, a PT appointment, and PM yard work really ate up my shop time today. I should be getting the hinges sometime between the 16th and 18th. Fingers crossed on that happening. There isn't much more to whack out on this cabinet. Glamour pics aren't far behind.

accidental woodworker 

Here’s a glimpse of a recent fortnight in Shangri-la.

As is often the case my brother and his wife come for a visit, now extended from one week to two weeks since they are now both retired.  I guess that is a commentary of sorts, with my siblings and I all retired including the baby.  We are fortunate in that all five of us get along famously and maintain a steady text thread keeping us up to date with each other.  The thread activity really ramped up when our Mom was in her final decline a few years ago and it never stopped.

Anyhow, you might remember the post a few months ago about trolling for firewood on the homestead, with a special emphasis on existing windfall waiting to be harvested.  Of particular interest this week was the cluster of storm damaged locust trees up at the top of the hill, with several large trees down and tossed about.  FYI locust is a highly prized firewood, very BTU dense with a hot burning temp and less ash than other woods.  When we got down to it, we realized that in addition to the already-dead trees there were at least a half dozen still-standing (but probably not for long) locusts that could/should come down.

So down they came.  It took some forethought as the trunks were intertwined and needed to come apart in a particular order.  My brother is really good at that work.  By the time we finished the week there were four heaping trucksful of sawn and split firewood to stack up at the barn.

At this point I am well into the firewood inventory for Winter 2026/2027, but I still have a lot of windfall to harvest.  By my guess it will be about ten truck loads, so all is good.  I will work on those truckloads in between other stuff over the winter.  It’s gonna be crazy with grandson #4 due probably next week.

Perhaps you use, or have at least tried, the sharpening method by hand discussed in the previous two posts. In any case, here is another approach that involves a straightforward angle holder.  The woodworking tool (plane iron, chisel, etc.) is inserted into the holding guide. The pair is placed onto the angle gage, the tool […]

I was up at the Vermont house the other day and made my periodic pilgrimage to The Red Carrot in Rutland.  The store is great for things like rustic boxes (more on that some day), but as a woodworker and general DIYer, I prefer the related warehouse down the street. They have most of the […]

 Got my next project. My oldest, Jessica, wants a spice shelf holder thing. She said she has been trying to buy one but it sells out too quick. It is a fairly straight forward project - she gave me plans for it. No fancy joinery, it is all butt joints. I'll be starting on it next week.

toast

Tried to fire it up and nada. Motor runs, gets incredibly hot, and zero pressure builds up in the tank. I checked on a rebuild kit and although I think I could manage it, I'm not conversant with compressors. The only service center I called that would do it was too expensive. I can buy a new one for almost the same price. This one is off to the land fill this friday.

hmm.....

It is looking like two coats is going to do the trick. However, in raking light some tear out popped out. I found some on both sides that I'll be filling with putty and repainting.

Home Depot run

$170 and I walked out the door with it. It looks a little dumbed down but the price was good. The one pressure gauge should have clued me in.

nada

The pressure gauge is only for the tank pressure. Zero pressure after a bazillion attempts. It also sounded like a diesel engine that wasn't firing on all cylinders. It stated a 78.5 db sound level but I'm pretty sure it was a lot louder than that.

got lucky

There are a lot of different types of quick couplers for tools. The existing couplers on the compressor fit all of my guns. However, I couldn't get the compressor to even generate 20PSI.

a huge negative Houston

Went back to HD and swapped out the compressor. I could get the 2nd one pressurized but it wouldn't shut off nor could I regulate the pressure. If I turned the regulator knob off zero and set it to 90, the tank pressure would bleed off to zero. 

I tried to use the pin nailer with the tank pressure reading 100PSI and nada. No air at the gun inlet at all. Frustrating because I had to fight construction and RTE 2 traffic for two round trips for this fun adventure.

A quick check on Google brought on a litany of complaints. This compressor is total and complete garbage. The two that I tried both exhibited 4 of the problems the google search listed. I'll be returning this and upgrading and it won't be a Dewalt. I'll have to eat it and pony up (>$100 more) for more reliable compressor.

The regulator is supposed to be on zero before turning it on. The pressure got up over 100PSI and when I turned the regulator to 90, the tank pressure dropped. I was expecting a lot better from something with the Dewalt name.

The mitering jig groove was a few frog hairs too tight for the glass retainer bars. I shaved just enough for them to be a loose snug fit.

worked

Clamped the bar at the back and moved the mitering jig back and forth as needed to shave one end of each of them.

2nd compressor

Waste of gas and time. I should of looked it up online before I bought it. But I was going by price and brand name.

proof

The pressure at least built up in the tank with the 2nd one but it didn't trip the over pressure switch neither. This thing is a time bomb waiting to explode.

I did get some work done on the cabinet. Got the 4th coat on the shelves and the first one on the exterior of the cabinet. Got the 2nd coat of paint on both sides of the door. Hinges are scheduled to come the first of next week. That will give me plenty of time to finish the shellac and painting.

Sorry about the post being a bit out of whack continuity wise. I hadn't planned on bringing the compressor back today. I was going to do it in the AM but I bit the bullet and made another same day road trip. Now I'll be returning again in the AM but I am not getting another compressor but taking a charge back on my credit card.  

accidental woodworker 

 The big, bad nor'easter (IMO) was a big bust. It was a wee bit windy, with rain on and off. The rain wasn't that heavy neither and I didn't see any downed limbs when I went for breakfast this AM. The first nor'easter of the year at least it wasn't cold bringing snow/sleet with it. But that fun is yet to come.

fitting the back

Planed the width first for a snug fit and then worked on the top/bottom. I went slow making frequent checks to make sure I wouldn't say '...oops, took too much'.

I'm impressed

I'm also incredibly happy with the fit. I had to tap it flush with the mallet. I like the finished look of it a lot. I think it is much better than plywood (ignore the panel is 6mm plywood).

peek a boo

I believe this may become my go to for cabinet backs.

see the hiccup?

I'm right handed and I wanted the smaller lites to be on the left, not the right. Missed that when I laid out the half laps for the muntins. I might switch the snap catch and put it on the left (if I remember that). I think putting it on the right would make it look crowded with the small lites.

see them?

Happy to write that most of the white snake lines are gone. There are still a few that haven't faded yet. Fingers crossed that will happen before I start slapping shellac on it.

need some shellac

I have switched to using denatured alcohol I get at the paint store. I am no longer using Everclear which is about $20 more for less. I don't see any difference in using Everclear vice denatured alcohol. I don't have enough shellac to finish doing the carcass. I am almost afraid to buy more shellac - the price has been rising steadily over the past year.

hmm......

 I think I should have waited before gluing the back stop on. There is no way I can get fasteners of any type into the top of the back panel.

miller dowels

I am securing the panel with 5 miller dowels on the two long sides and the 3 on the bottom. After eyeballing these I think I don't need any fasteners on the top. All the stress on the panel will be downward and the sides should keep the top from moving in/out.

bottom

Three miller dowels should be sufficient at the bottom. They just need to keep the bottom from shifting in or outward.

need a gap filler

There is one gap on the back panel that I filled. Once this is on a wall it will never be seen but my OCD couldn't let it slide. None of my veneers were thin enough to fit the gap so I planed this scrap until it did.

sigh

Not too bad considering this was the only gap on the entire back panel.

shelf layout

I like to notch the shelves for the supports to sit in. I thought I had made a mistake at first because the notches weren't the same front and back. Forgot the back panel intrudes into the interior 3/4".

done

With the notches, the shelf stays in place as things are dragged across it. Nothing more annoying than having the shelf move forward and then crash and fall as you remove things from it. 

checking the fit

Locked in place. One down and one to go.

done

Maybe I should have gone with fixed shelves. I got the shelves at the lowest spot and the highest one. Experience has taught me that 6-7 inches is a good allowance.

oops

Obviously didn't think this all the way through. The tops of my initials are buried a wee bit.

too sharp

The before on the top and the after on the bottom. I don't like the sharpness of the edge in the before pic. A few strokes with the violin plane followed by sandpaper rounded and smoothed it nicely.

two coats

Two done and two more to go. I am doing four coats on the shelves and the interior of the cabinet. The outside will get 6-7. 

test run

This is my 21ga pin nailer. I tried it out to see if I could get a nail in the thickness/width of my glass retainer bars. Passed with flying colors and I'll be pin nailing them after I get the glass.

retainer bars

Maybe I should have waited but I think I'll be ok. I am not using 1/8" thick glass on this. Instead I'm using the thinner offering. I ripped this out such that I have some wiggle room with the glass thickness.

dead?

The compressor had been cycling a lot more than the last time I used it. After about 15 minutes it was running continuously. Both of the pressure gauges were reading zero. The top of it was so hot I couldn't touch it. 

The life expectancy of oil less pancake compressors is about 5 to 10 years. I bought this in april of 1995. I'll try this again after it has cooled off and see what shakes out then. Thinking ahead, pancake compressors aren't that expensive. Both of the big box stores sell compressors for around $150. That is what I think I paid for this one.

glass retainer bars

Either way, I am using a pin nailer to secure these. I painted the muntin rabbets entirely so I don't have any bare wood to glue them to.

accidental woodworker 

On Saturday, October 18th from 8am-2pm we open our doors to celebrate 25 fantastic years of custom woodworking, live-edge slabs, hardwood lumber and great customers. Join us for a hot dog and a Coke and a chance to win a walnut slab valued at over $500 (just for showing up). We will also have fun games with great prizes and demonstrations of crowd favorites like the sawmill and cnc router. We hope to see you there.

I do not know the setup of the Blacksmith Bolt and Rivet fellow (he’s been getting virtually all of my wood screw business for quite some time) but this video of a “small” Japanese screw making operation tickled my fancy.