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Norse Woodsmith will be going offline for possibly up to a week during the month of February to attempt a major site upgrade.  If it is successful it will return, however it may look wonky for a while while I dial it in.  If not successful, well.. then your guess is as good as mine!  Thanks in advance for your patience.

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General Woodworking

Project Phoenix: V

A Luthiers Blog - Wed, 01/08/2025 - 7:20am


 In this episode, I look at making the bridge and tailpiece and then the final assembly. There’s also a bit of as surprise for you??

getting old sucks.......

Accidental Woodworker - Wed, 01/08/2025 - 3:35am

 Yesterday I went on a post lunch stroll for the first time since I played the bounce test with the sidewalk. I did feel it a wee bit walking up the first hill but the rest of it was uneventful for the most part. What popped up at the half way point was my left heel started to ache then hurt like hell. I've had this headache before and it got worse as the day went on. I was limping pretty good by the time I hit the rack.

This AM it wasn't feeling any better. It hurt to stand and that ramped up if I walked around. It especially didn't feel lovely walking down/up the stairs to the workshop. I didn't get a lot done and I'll mostly be molding my butt cheeks to my desk chair  until this calms down.

needs one more

I could see streaks of 'white' on the frame. Fingers crossed that one more will do the trick.

 some good news

I'm calling this one done and putting a check mark in the done column. I have 5 coats of poly on the 4 stretchers so anything wet shouldn't effect it. It is a gloss finish which I don't like. IMO something like this should have a satin look to it.

chamfer work

Standing to do this was barely tolerable. Realized that I don't stand in one spot in the shop for any length of time. I don't sit at all in the shop. I made a shop stool years ago and tried it once. It felt awkward and funny sitting to work at the bench. The stool is now an elevated horizontal storage surface tucked away in a corner.

 chamfer done

I use two blockplanes when I chamfer an edge. The big LN is used to waste away the majority. The smaller LN blockplane I use to finesse and fine tune the chamfer down to the pencil lines.

hinging the lid

I'm not a fan of surface mounted hinges. To me that look incomplete and half ass done. I got these hinges from Lee Valley and they are 90° stop hinges. I have two sizes, this is the smaller one with the larger being roughly twice this size. In this situation I am warming up to them being surface mounted (the only way you can install them).

 works freely

The veneer was to give clearance for the hinges. The lid opens/closes and stops at 90° I have put these hinges on slightly cocked and I could feel that misalignment opening/closing the lid. Didn't do this time.

 ready for the finish

I read the instructions on the finish bottles (tung oil) and it says to sand up to 400 to 600 grit. I stopped at 400.

 I think it is done

4 hours after I painted the final coat on it (?) I sucked it up and went back to the shop to eyeball it. It was dry and I couldn't see any 'white' even in raking light. I will have to clean the back side and put another coat on it. It picked up a lot of crappola from laying on the bench. That will happen tomorrow.

 maybe done

I sanded these with 320 before I put on what I hope is the final coat. I noticed that the washboard planer marks weren't as pronounced as they were yesterday. Maybe I'll get lucky and this coat will fully fill and level them. This coat of paint looked good laying down and I couldn't see any evidence of the washboard.

before I killed the lights

I removed the hinges to facilitate applying the tung oil finish. 

Not much to show for today and this foot thing put a serious crimp in my schedule. I worked for as long as I could and couldn't stand the pain anymore. In the late afternoon walking to the head didn't hurt as much as it did in the AM. I thought of going back to the shop but by the time I got to the stairs it was hurting as much as it had been in the AM. I was trying to get back to the shop but nixed it. I'll wait it out and let it heal for a few more days.

accidental woodworker

Your First Plywood Project: One Sheet Plywood Desk

Highland Woodworking - Tue, 01/07/2025 - 7:00am

I recommended trying to build a desk for your first piece of furniture. The standard rectangle with four legs is simple enough for beginners to get stuck in, and will teach you valuable skills that you can use on more difficult projects.

I love using single sheets of ply to create a whole piece of furniture with little to no waste and there are many plans available online that can guide you through the process from initial measurements to putting the finishing touches on your new desk.

Here’s a basic (and free) step by step guide that can take you from sheet to desk with some basic power tools. The basic outline is as follows:

1. Gather supplies. Get your plywood, power tools, pocket hole jig, sandpaper and finish, clamps, wood glue, and fasteners.
2. Layout your pieces on the ply. This will help ensure you get the best use out of your material.
3. Cut out your pieces using your circular saw or track saw.
4. Trim them to size with the miter saw.
5. Dry fit your pieces, and drill your pocket holes for assembling the desk frame.
6. Now it’s time to do everyone’s favorite thing – sanding the surface and edges.
7. Once everything is sanded, you can do the final assembly.
8. When you have glued and screwed everything together, It’s time to put the finish on.
9. All that is left to do now is enjoy your new one sheet plywood desk.

I recommend using a track saw to cut the pieces, but you can achieve the same result with a circular saw, a straight edge, and a couple of clamps. You will also want a miter saw to cut the small angles on the legs.

That’s All Folks

I hope I’ve convinced you that plywood is worth your time – whether you’re a seasoned journeyman carpenter, or a beginner who wants to build something that lasts for years and looks beautiful in your home. Please join us over at Sheet Good to get some inspiration for your plywood furniture creations. You can also find many more posts that delve into all the different aspects of this fascinating material.

See Joel’s first post about building with plywood.

A professional cabinet maker and furniture designer – Joel was raised on a cattle farm in Mississippi and has spent the majority of his professional life in Atlanta, Georgia. After obtaining a degree in Industrial Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, he pursued further qualifications in cabinet making. For over ten years, Joel has specialized in working with plywood, and now operates as a freelance designer for various furniture manufacturers. Find more of Joel’s writing about plywood design and project ideas at Sheet Good.

Categories: General Woodworking

getting impatient.......

Accidental Woodworker - Tue, 01/07/2025 - 3:49am

 My day didn't start off on a good foot. I failed at doing my sudoku puzzles and it was one of the easiest ones too. Turned out it wasn't me brain farting but the two same numbers in one row. Erased both of them and I finished the puzzle successfully. However, I didn't get any time in the shop because I had a ultrasound appointment.

I knew things would be a bit off because valet parking was full at the VA and they weren't taking any new cars. Luckily I found a parking space and went for my appointment. Things were jammed up a bit there too and my appointment was 30 minutes late. It only took 2 minutes and the tech said my doc would have results tomorrow. The results of this ultrasound will guide what they do with the cystoscopy in Feb.

 overnight set up

Usually within about 30 minutes this can be sanded but I let it go overnight.

 see the cracks

I would have bet a lung that 3 coats of paint would have filled these. I could barely feel them when I dragged my nails over them. 

 sneak peek

I like the color contrast between the frame and the molding but not the size. After eyeballing this I think the molding is a few frog hairs too wide. I'm going to hold off on sawing it thinner until the painting is done.

two board lid

I'm not a fan of glue ups for smaller lids (less than 12"). I don't have any stock wide enough so I'll be gluing one.

hmm......

I find this weird. When the shop temp was 61° (for two days) the outside temp was 3 degrees lower than it is today. However, the temp in the shop dropped 2 degrees and outside temp rose 3 degrees. The temps are going to be below freezing at night for the next ten days or so. Daytime temps ain't looking much better as they are mostly going to be around or below freezing (0C) for the same period.

before I forgot

I got a comment asking if when I rolled a burr did I get one on both sides of the edge? I didn't know because I only checked for it on one face. I also noticed that when I used the accu-burr I didn't keep it at 90° to the card scraper but I slightly tilted it outboard 1-2 degrees. Maybe that has something to do with not getting a burr on both sides? It looks the accu-burr could do that. Maybe it takes a slight tilting action on both faces?

essentially nothing

Rolled what I consider a good burr on the right side and almost nothing on the left side. It isn't 100% flat/flush and I can detect a teeny weeny bump on the edge.

 a first for me

Planed the glue joint with the boards together. Glued and clamped with quick grips which I don't think I have ever done before. No one is holding a gun to my head so I'm going to see how well this turns out.

planer chatter

I first saw while applying the first coat of paint. I sanded that coat lightly with 320 and there is no mistaking it is still there. On a brighter note, the second coat seemed to cover it up some. I am not getting away with only two coats so maybe 3 will hide it.

 needs one more

The light area of streaks is where I put wood putty. The can instructions say that this paint will have problems with covering a light paint or here, light colored wood putty. I'll be doing another coat in 2 hours or so.

 the tile frame rail

This is the one where I drilled straight through out to the other side and then filled it in with some cherry shavings.

 imposter gum pockets

I think these came out pretty good. Even eyeballing them up close they still look like gum pockets IMO.

 real gum pocket

This one isn't black but brownish with some reddish tones to it. It follows a grain line like mine do too.

 a few more

You have to really look intently at a real one and compare it to mine for a while to say nay or yea.

flushed the bottom

I sawed this one real tight - I had zero wiggle room on the width. I had an 1/8" overhang on both ends. Made flushing it quick and easy but not for dealing with the heebie jeebies with it shifting on me during the glue setting up.

nail holes mostly
Used some putty to fill the nail holes in along with two gaps.

tung oil

I am going to use this to finish this box. I tried it once a few months back but I have no memory of the results. The only difference between the two bottles is the left one has a citrus additive.

 found them

I bought these way back when I made a rabbeted box ala Peter Follansbee. I split the front board driving the nails home. I haven't given up on these, I just couldn't find them. I am leaving them on the workbench to have them in front of me if and when the opportunity to use them comes up.

 

 bandsaw marks

I couldn't remove all of the bandsaw marks here. I will make this the underside of the lid and place it at the back left.

curved lid

Since this box is about experimenting with different things, why not a curve for the front edge? 

 done

At first I intended to do it with a chisel and then the bandsaw and clean it up with a blockplane. Instead it made better sense to do the whole operation with the blockplane. It wasn't that much to plane away and I doubt it took more five minutes to complete.

 3 side overhang

I was going to flush the ends and overhang the front only. Changed my mind and did an overhang on the ends of about 3/16" and 3/8" at the front.

close enough

The center lines on box and lid at the back on dead on along with the box being flush with the back edge of the box. At the front the box is a frog hair off the lid but it is ok IMO for this.

 chamfer coming

Laid out and ready to go which will happen in the AM tomorrow.

 it worked
 

I used this to lay out the line on the front. I kept/tried to keep the pencil at the same spot on the edge as I pulled it across the front. It looks symmetrical and even to my eye.


 for curved work

This wouldn't have worked because one of the rounded things would be off the edge at the ends. I wouldn't have been able to mark the last 1/2" or so at either end. I'm glad I checked it first because I was going to drill this one so I could put a pencil in it replacing the pin.

 came today

This is the fourth printing of this book (1932) with the first in 1930. This surprised because that is one and three years after the start of the great depression. I have already leafed through the book and it will be an interesting read. It has a chapter on how to make your own radio using '...off the shelf parts....'.

It is published by Popular Science which was a favorite magazine of mine when I was a kid. I especially like the plans in for just about everything under the sun.

 how cool is this

This chapter starts off on how to make your own home made one tube receiver. Of course there is woodworking too and that is main reason why I bought it.

accidental woodworker

took the wrong fork......

Accidental Woodworker - Mon, 01/06/2025 - 3:38am

 This AM before going to the shop I made a garbage run. From there I starting picking the ivy I had pulled up a couple of months back. I hadn't planned on that and initially I was going to do one pile and call it quits. I picked all of them which made my wife extremely happy. Unfortunately the city of Warwick isn't picking up yard waste now so it'll be spring time before I'm rid of it 100%.

 stumps are next

The dark spots are where the ivy had been piled. A lot of it was frozen but the irritating thing was the ivy wasn't dead. It was thriving and was still a vibrant green. 

Come spring I'll be trying to get rid of the 3 stumps. I plan on drilling several holes in them, filling them with gas, and lighting them on fire. These two should be the easier ones to do. The big ash stump to the right of the shed is going to try my patience for sure - it is almost a three foot diameter stump.

 5 full cans

I didn't think I would fill this many shit cans. I don't have any left if the need for one should arise.

 see them?

All four legs of the frame have a series of surface cracks in them. I had see them before painting them and I thought 3 coats of paint would fill and level them. I was wrong. Instead of calling this done I had to fill in the cracks. I'm lucky in that the molding will cover half the width of each leg. Two more days before its done.

 last thing

Before I killed the lights today I glued the bottom on the dozuki box. I will be putting a lid on it. What it will used for is anyone's guess - I have one more coming too.

accidental woodworker

Shotgun chamber reaming for 2-3/4 inch shells

Timber Frame Tools - Sun, 01/05/2025 - 3:47pm
I bought another of my favorite shotgun, the Ithaca Lefever Nitro Special  in an online auction recently.  I now own 4.  One in every length they made 26″, 28″ and 30″.  This particular one was made in  1926.  It is a 20 gauge with 26″ barrels.  It was in pretty good shape.  My only hesitation […]
Categories: General Woodworking

Making a Brass Fence

MVFlaim Furnituremaker - Sun, 01/05/2025 - 10:08am

I’ve owned this Ohio Tool Co Moving Fillister Plane for a while now. It was missing its fence and screw when I bought it, so I decided it was time to make a new one for it.

I started by cutting a blank from some brass stock I bought on eBay. The blank I cut out was 3/8″ x 2″ x 3″.

Luckily, I have another fence off another moving fillister plane I could use as a template. While the dimensions weren’t the same, I custom drew what the fence should look like on the brass stock.

After I cut out the shape on the band saw, I punched a spot where my 3/8″ drill bit will drill a hole for the center on the fence. Then I kept moving down the fence drilling holes in the center.

I needed to remove some of the back of the fence, so I went back to the band saw to do the job.

Then, I cut off some of the face of the fence to thin it up and shaped the bottom of it with my files.

In the end, I was happy with my results. Not too shabby, as this was the first thing I have ever fabricated out of brass.

Now I needed to make the screw to hold it in place. Again, I had a screw from another plane that I could use to find something similar at the hardware store. I ended up buying a 5/16″ x 1″ screw from Home Depot, but I had to grind it round on my belt sander. 

I then filed the top to a dome shape and used a hacksaw to file a slot in the top.

I polished the screw up, cleaned the body of the plane, and put everything together. The plane came out really nice and performs well after I sharpened the blade.

Another plane has been saved from the garbage bin of life and is back to use for the next hundred years. 

Who put all those spoons in there.

Rivers Joinery - Sun, 01/05/2025 - 6:37am

I just went out to the home workshop to get a box to put some things in, but some silly sod (me) has put a load of spoons and ladles in there. Grab other box; the same.



Oh well. I picked this chest of drawers up for the daughter's bedroom recently. I replaced the plinth, because someone had used a few bits of old pallet in a previous restoration. A polish with some Fiddes and good to go. Minimum intervention is the best option sometimes. The top drawer is a writing desk for her studies. Definitely Early Oak, but she likes it.


I was going to make another bowl out of the other half of that Elm log, but nature beat me to it. This is Velvet Shank mushroom. It makes good eating. The Japanese call it Enokitake.  As well as being tasty, it also is notable as a winter growing mushroom. Never eat a mushroom unless you are 100% sure about what it is. There are two other mushrooms similar to this which are poisonous. To differentiate you can take a spore print; Enokitake has white spores, the other two don't.


Here they are, growing on another piece of Elm in the hedgebank bottom, a bit more developed. I don't mind if this log goes back to wildlife, and the added bonus of a tasty meal.


On my way back from the workshop, I grabbed some firewood and this piece of beech, which was near the edge and got wet, has Turkey Tail mushroom growing on it. Back in the hedge, into a pile of logs and cultivate this one also. Turkey Tail is known as Kawaratake (roof tile fungus) in Japan and Yun Zhi in China, where it is used in traditional medicine. It is apparently good for balancing immune systems, so you never know, it might help me with my joints!


The first shoot of this year's sweet chestnut planting, showed itself. Giving back what we take.




finish day 3 et al........

Accidental Woodworker - Sun, 01/05/2025 - 3:54am

 Yesterday I checked on the hinges for the cherry cupboard and were coming on the 3rd.  Then I got an email update from UPS telling me that it had been delayed and was coming on the 7th. Great, that gave me a few more days to come up with some way to hold the door shut. Got a surprise and the hinges came in right after lunch. That means it is crunch time for holding the door shut.

 wasn't expected

Is there anything in this universe that isn't made in China? For what these hinges set me back I would expect the finish not be a something that is sprayed on.

 almost done

I got the 3rd coat on the top and fingers crossed that it will be the last one. I won't know that until tomorrow.

slow going

I have 3 coats of poly on the bottom and sides of this. Today I got the first coat on the top surfaces. At the rate I'm going it will be wednesday before its done. I am only putting on one coat a day and I have two more coats to apply.

while the finish dries

I have already made a box with the dozuki and this is #2. Making one could be a fluke and 2 makes you take notice. After this one is done, I have one more to go. If I can do 3 I'll be convinced this dozuki is the the equal of my western dovetail saws.

oops

I missed sawing a tail. What I am checking here is how well I sawed the pencil line. With western or japanese saws I try to saw right on the line. I did pretty good on the front side facing me as I sawed.

 opposite side

I did better sawing with the dozuki then I do with my western saws. With them I usually saw off some of the pencil lines leaving them. It looks like I sawed right on the back pencil lines with the dozuki.

half pins

I sawed all the half pins without making a knife wall to guide the saw. I watch tons of dovetail YouTube vids and I see half saw it without a knife wall and the other half doesn't. Since this is a practice/experiment box I sawed them sans a guiding wall.

I had my fingers crossed that I would only need one coat but that ain't happening boys and girls. However, I'm optimistic about getting out of Dodge with two.
 came today

These came in as expected. I like the color (my favorite one) and the storage thing is an bonus. I don't have room in my router bit drawer for these. They range in size from 1/4" up to 1/2".

Now that I have them I decided to leave the chamfer on the inside edge of the frame as is. I was also entertaining painting the chamfer black but nixed it.

 first one off the saw

I hope that I never get tired of this. I still get a bit tingling when the tails and pins mesh just right. This is something I did with no external help strictly on my own. Some parts of doing it are old hat but this step wipes the slate clean.

 dry fit

I am impressed with how tight the half pins came out. I didn't trim them other than to clean the internal corner at the bottom.

 maybe a touch better

When I sawed these I did them just like I would if I were using my western saw. In the back of the brain bucket I thought that I might have introduced gaps but didn't. The kerfs between the two saws is different with the dozuki having the thinner one. I'll have to measure the dozuki to compare it to the LN dovetail saw's kerf.

the other end

The right side has small gaps. I was able to close them up when I glued the box up. After doing these dovetails I kind of like using the dozuki and I especially like the thin kerf. I found the dozuki much easier to saw plumb and to saw on the line. I will be going back to my western saws but the dozuki will have a seat at my saw table.

not 100%

It had been a little less the 5 hours since I applied the finish and it was dry-ish. It was a teeny wee bit tacky and that killed any ideas I had for getting another coat on it today.

got it right

Before I killed the lights I checked that the screws with the new hinge were flat heads - smiley face on.

 why not

I was going to kill the lights but made a U turn and decided to paint the 'L' moldings. Found some scraps to place the moldings on so I could paint them. I am only painting the outside faces.

 first blurry looking coat coat

I had my fingers crossed that I would only need one coat but that ain't happening boys and girls. However, I'm optimistic about getting out of Dodge with two.

tile frame stile

I had swabbed some mineral spirits on this stile and the two holes I plugged popped. The idea today is to conceal/cover that boo boo with the black paint.

 maybe????

I had a blob of paint drop off the brush and hit the left one. I tried to wipe it up with mineral spirits but that didn't go too well. I'll try to scrape it after the paint has dried and see how that goes. I painted the black on grain lines and I think it is good enough to fool anyone into thinking it is a cherry gum pocket.

accidental woodworker

Cherry Shaker End Table 2: Drawer & Everything Else

JKM Woodworking - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 10:27pm

I rough cut the rails and drawer front together in the hopes of having the grain match. I spent a lot of effort on that and don’t think it was worth it. Each piece lost material with planing, and then more when fitting the drawer.

fitted side-to-side, still need to plane top

For the drawer sides I wanted a light colored wood so the dovetails would contrast with the cherry. Choices were poplar, soft maple, and basswood. I went with basswood as I thought the softness might help jamming the dovetails into their sockets. I ripped a long piece to match the width/height of the front and then plowed grooves.

1/4″ deep groove, 1/4″ wide, 1/4″ from bottom. roughly.
the front is 3/4″ thick and the sides are 1/2″ thick. roughly.

There’s a lot of info and gurus about cutting dovetails. I don’t have a set routine. But I know when I cut the tails with a japanese saw, I can’t cut the waste out with a coping saw. The coping saw blade is too thick to fit in the kerf. I have to use a fretsaw.

plow the groove before cutting the tail to make sure it stays hidden

The sockets I chisel out with a mortise chisel for the open areas and smaller skew chisels for the corners.

test fit

I ease the underside of the tails to help get them started quicker. I think I learned that from Rob Cosman’s videos. All of these edges will be covered. If they were through dovetails you’d have to leave the exposed ends alone.

eased inned edges of tails

I made a mistake I didn’t notice until gluing up the drawer box. I had cut the drawer back to fit between the sides by using the front to gauge the distance. But I dadoed the sides which means the back should have been that much wider.

also note the cherry plywood drawer bottom
dados for the back to fit between the sides

Discovering an error at glue-up didn’t leave much time for problem solving. I could have cut a new piece, but once I realized the cause I moved it forward a little to where the dado wasn’t.

such a shame

I planned to pin the back with skewers but did not. I did glue some scrap into those dados which I hope will act like corner blocking.

At this stage I had to solve the problem of fitting drawer guides into the already glued carcase. The plans call for gluing them to the sides. I wanted to do extra as this table would be a Christmas gift. I didn’t trust glue alone to be secure long term and I wouldn’t be around to repair it. Another reason is that the unseen inner sides were not planed as well as the outside, so it might not be a flat glue surface.

I lost several days trying to think of screw-free ways to install the supports. Things got easier when I resigned myself to just using screws. I used poplar and ash for the guides as I had scrap close to the proper dimensions.

screws and screw holes

The runners and kickers are notched to fit. Each has a screw into the front rail and the back leg. They are also glued along the side apron. The picture also shows the screw holes for mounting the tabletop, circles for the front and back and elongated on the sides.

ready for final shaping

I returned to the table top whiich I had glued up oversized. I put the tabletop upside down with the frame on top and decided where to crosscut it. I also traced the corners of the legs to know where to stop chamfering.

about 1 3/4″ overhang on the front and back. a skosh more on the sides.

To chamfer I eyeballed half of the thickness, ran a marking gauge around the edge, and filled it in with a mechanical pencil. The bulk of the waste was removed with a #5 plane and a #7 was used when closer to the line. I like watching the line in the corner develop. Oddly satisfying.

plane the end grain sides first
diagonal line on corner gets straighter with each swipe
good enough for me

I scraped and hand sanded to 220 grit. I drilled pilot holes but did not attach the tabletop until after finishing.

For finishing I sprayed shellac. I did one coat of garnet shellac (all I had left) and then 3-5 coats of sealcoat. The drawer knob I supported by poking the screw in cardboard with the threads wrapped in tape.

harbor freight purple spray gun
knob with upside down table in distance

After finishing I put the drawer bottom in, screwed in the knob, and screwed the top to the table. I waxed the business end of the drawer and runners.

underside of drawer with wax
might as well throw in a picture of the drawer inside

I made this as a Christmas present and delivered it 650 miles away on January 2nd.

It is about 24″ high with a 16″ square top. The legs are 1 1/8″ square at the top and 5/8″ at the bottom. The aprons are 4 1/2″ wide and 11 1/4″ long.

front view
top view
drawer open
Categories: General Woodworking

A Tool Tote for Plane Wellness

Vintage Tool Patch - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 4:00pm
For the last 5 years, I’ve been making toolboxes to share with other woodworkers. This last year had been a bit of a challenge to get something done, but I made a promise that I’d put together a box for Plane Wellness. I pushed between Christmas and New Year to try and get something done before 2024 was out. How this box is used is up to the organization; whether in the hands of someone who needs them, as a community/loaner set of tools, or a travel set of full-size tools… so long as it’s used I’ll be thrilled.
Categories: General Woodworking

card scrapers.......

Accidental Woodworker - Sat, 01/04/2025 - 3:39am

Day two of applying poly and paint and it will probably take a few more days. The workshop temp has dipped below 60F (15.5C) which I think is at the low for paint and poly to fully set up and cure. So I never made it back to shop last night. Instead I let the poly and paint relax and set up overnight. They looked good in the AM - both felt dry.

 cut it down

After thinking about and seeing the overhang of the 'L' molding on the outboard side I decided to cut it flush. Used a scrap 'L' molding to set the right distance. They will overhang by a frog hair now.

 double, triple checking

I had the chamfer to go by but I set the moldings as they will be and put an X on the up side. I have a history of not paying attention to labels but today I was a good boy and all came out correctly.

two computer headaches

I'm missing the taskbar on the Linux computer and the laptop it just doing stupid Microsuck hiccups (after an update). This was not what I wanted to be doing today. After trying a few quick tricks and getting no results I shifted into battle mode. 

 got it back

I tired for about an hour to get the taskbar back or Firefox to open. Flunked at doing both using Terminal. I said No Mas and reinstalled Mint and got the taskbar back and I was able to open and browse with Firefox. However, all the previous settings and programs I had installed went bye-bye. I will next have to set up Firefox and blow in all my passwords for it for YouTube, etc etc etc.

Just as well because this Linux computer has been acting bugging for the past couple of weeks. The biggest PITA was my WiFi headphones would drop out without warning. I would then have to spend seemingly hours trying to get it to pair with the computer again. I'll keep an eye on it from here and see what shakes out now.

 part of my card scraper herd

I have been using or I should say I've been trying to use card scrapers for about 40 years. In the dim past I saw someone using one in the Navy woodworking shop and he told me it was a card scraper. I had absolutely no idea on how to use it or more importantly how to sharpen it and roll a burr. I had zero knowledge about it other then it was something I had to have.

 my two latest acquisitions

These are from Blue Spruce and I haven't used them other than to try them for a few strokes. I haven't formed an opinion on them one way or the other yet other than the are heavy and thick.

 ready to go (maybe)

Made this box to hold my favorite scrapers - from straight, to curved, to profiled. Along with the scrapers is a burr rolling gadget from Lee Valley.

 40 years old

This was the second one I bought. I thought it was the bee's knee but it wasn't. I still had no concrete understanding of a burr and how to roll one. I thought this would be magical but the genie never came out of the lamp.

 some of my other burr makers

The 2nd one from the right is the first one I bought. I got it and a card scraper from LV all those many moons ago. The far left one I got as a xmas present this year.

 Phil Lowe burnisher

This is Phil's Lowe Lazarus act of a Stanley burnisher. It comes to a 35° conical point and you use that to make the burr a consistent hook from one end to the other. I have found that is wholly dependent upon rolling a consistent burr first. And I can't roll a consistent burr. I have a bazillion doo dads for rolling a burr but with none of them can I roll a consistently formed and equal burr from one end to the other. At best I would get a couple of inches and then go bald or misshaped for most of it.

I have read and watched everything I could on forming a burr in my part of the universe. I get it and I think I understand it. I think I could talk to anyone on how to do it except for the last step of using the burnisher (pick one) and making a burr.

 accu-burr Jr

This has been a game changing gadget for me. This little piece of heavenly goodness has finally allowed me to roll a burr on anything I want one on. There is not a lot of practice needed to use it neither IMO. It will roll 3 burrs, light, medium, and heavy. You don't need to tilt it, or at least I don't, make a couple of passes on the edge and Bob's your uncle. Success after 40 years of frustration. All the other burnishers sit in their holders and collect dust now.

still have it

This is the first scraper I bought oh so many, many moons ago. Still functions, and with much better results, due to the acu-burr. It is also still pretty much full width after 40 years too.

 mastered this

Honing a straight and square edge I don't have any problems doing. A square piece of scrap wood is indispensable in doing that. At first I thought the stone would get choked up with wood but that hasn't happened. It doesn't take more than a couple seconds to square the edge. I have found that sometimes this will make a burr but it doesn't last too long.

 couple of jigs

I have 3 #80 Stanleys along with 2 Stanley #112s. The irons in them have a 45° on their edges. These two jigs help with that because I couldn't file the irons being held vertically in the vise. This jig is something I got from a Charles Hayward book - I think it was called Making Woodworking Tools. I modified my jigs slightly so that are clamped horizontally in the vise. I find having the iron horizontal helps me a lot to file a consistent 45 on the edge.

 it works for me

With the jig held vertically I found trying to hold and file at a 45 to be a bit awkward. I would file the lead in off 45, kind of 45 in the middle, and maybe close to 45 on the exit. I'm sure if this was something I did with more frequency I would master it. But it isn't something that I do once a week or even once a month. I may do it once a year or when the #80 I'm using ain't making any shavings for me.

 this is wonderful

I pulled this spare #80 iron from the spares holder and it didn't have a burr. Three strokes with the accu-burr and I had a consistent one end to end. So far I have settled into using the medium (or middle) burr roller for everything. For me it takes the guess work out of it and I know what to expect from using it.

 almost missed this pic

Filing is a skill just as sharpening a plane iron is one. Before you hone the edge you need to file edge to 90 °, straight, and flat. I tend to have a hump after my efforts along with the ends tapering downward. I have to expend extra calories honing by starting out on the coarsest stone. Again another skill set that should improve with more practice and use.

 new on top, old on the bottom

These gadgets are for holding the file at  90° to a saw or scraper face and both work. The black one comes from Lee Valley and the bottom from an old tool seller I don't remember who though.  However, I don't use either or scrapers because the files today are crap. After a couple of strokes there is a groove worn in the files and it no longer cuts. I use the LV one now strictly for evening out the tooth line on my saws. The bottom smaller  one works but I couldn't find files that fit it.

 toothing blade

This is for the Stanley #112 scraping plane. I got this one from Kunz, the German maker with the green painted planes/tools. I couldn't find a Stanley one anywhere and so far I've used this one only once. You don't need a burr on this, just have to file/hone the toe at 45. 

 two edges

I only roll a burr on one edge. In the past I did both edges thinking it would be wonderful to just flip it when one edge dulled. What happened with me with both edges rolled were my fingers would get butchered using it. I have so many of them that for me I can live with only one edge rolled.

 saw blades

I bought a bunch of saw blade waste from Issac Blackburn and I have found them to be handy to have. Due to their sizes they are easy to flatten and I do ok with rolling a burr on their short runways. The other ones in the box are some I filed to a specific profile for a specific project. I find it is quicker to establish a profile or flush two surfaces with it over sandpaper.

profile scrapers

These have to be done by hand. I tried the acu-burr on them and got mixed results. Instead I went back to this small burnisher (Lee Valley?). Of these profile scrapers the goose neck ones get the most use from me. The key, IMO, to using this small burnisher is to securely hold the scrapers and concede that you will only be able to roll for a very short distance. It takes a while (for me) to roll a burr all the way around on a goose neck.

 hmm......

I tried this small burnisher rolling a burr on a goose neck scraper. I kind of liked the new one for doing this. It is small and agile along with two hand control. The other burnisher is a one handed tool. I thought I had better control with the LV burnisher. No problems negotiating all the inside and outside curves of the goose neck. Of course neither one will get into the tight turns and reversals. 

 both worked

I find pine to be a good wood to check my burrs on. Pine (for me) has never been an easy wood to scrape and make fluffy shavings. Hardwoods (lots of experience with hardwoods) work well with scrapers. I can generate enough shavings in 5 minutes to stuff a pillow case. Here both of the goose necks I rolled a burr on made shavings and grooved the pine.

profile on cherry

I rolled a burr on all four semi circles but none of them were consistent. There was a burr, heavy in the middle and lighter out towards the end. I still made shavings but they torn out a wee bit coming from either direction. I minimized that by changing the angle I scraped it at. 

So what is the conclusion? Gadgets make some things easier but they are not the panacea for all burrs. Practice and lots of it is needed to master this skill. The accu-burr is a great aid but even though I'm making acceptable burrs I still haven't made a pile of shavings like I have seen Paul Sellers do. The shavings I'm getting now are acceptable (for me) but I know I could be doing better. I have something to shoot for. I have gotten a handle on a lot woodworking things now and hopefully before I take that dirt nap I'll add this one to the list (and spokeshaves).

accidental woodworker

Cherry Shaker End Table 1: Everything but the Drawer

JKM Woodworking - Fri, 01/03/2025 - 8:38pm

My next project is a cherry end table. This is based off the Popular Woodworking plans by Chris Schwarz. I have made two similar tables in the past.

His plans called for a table 27″ high with a top 18″ square. I checked that against tables in my house and thought it would be too tall. I adjusted the dimensions to 24″ high and 16″ square.

For stock I bought a 6/4 cherry board 11″ wide and 8-9 feet long. My goal was to get all of the pieces out of 1/2 of the board, leaving a large offcut.

crosscut board in half
two strips for four legs

The edges of the board are good for the legs, as the grain is diagonal. After that, I had to decide which order to crosscut, rip, and resaw the pieces. The drawer front and its rails were cut out and set aside first. Then the larger section was resawn for the top and aprons.

pieces with waste removed

These will be all the easily visible parts of the table. They were run through the planer enough to freshen up the show sides.

One piece I did not plan on making was the drawer knob. I spent a lot of time searching for shaker knobs, but the only *cherry* ones I could find were wide and bulbous. So I tried a maple knob with a smaller shape. Since it would be different color than the cherry front, I decided to ebonize it.

Lee Valley Smooth Maple Knob Item 02G1415

I applied two coats of Speedball India Ink with a cheap foam brush and it took well. The extra knob is for backup if things go horribly wrong.

ebonized maple vs raw
two pieces to make the top

These are my two top pieces. In the past I’ve had some of these joints come apart a little at the ends. So I focused on getting a cleaner joint. In addition to setting the boards on each other to see how they fit, I usually try to have a light behind them. In this case I used a flashlight for demonstration.

too much of a gap, I think

It’s a lot of back and forth trying to make a spring joint without having too much of a gap.

glued up top. will be trimmed later.

The legs started a full 6/4 thickness and I planed them to 1 1/8″ as suggested in the plans.

leg stock

I laid an apron on the top of the legs and marked a little lower to begin the taper. I try to orient the tapers to cut off the sapwood and minimize grain run-out. They taper to 5/8″ at the bottom.

start the taper below the aprons
tapers penciled in

I cut close to the line on the bandsaw and then clean up with a plane. I tried planing in the moxon vise since it was already setup. It was slower and not any better than my older method of having the legs loosely held on the workbench.

also when loosening the vise one of the legs fell on the concrete floor

All of the joinery for the aprons-to-legs were dominos, except for the top rail. I felt better keeping this a dovetail joint.

removing waste with chisel
oops. we’ll have to glue that down and set it aside…

The domino joints were easier. I squared up the ends and marked to have the aprons set back 1/8″ from the legs.

Before glue up I scraped and hand sanded the pieces to 220 grit.

The two sides were glued up first and the next day the back and front rails were added to make a little table assembly.

glued up assembly
Categories: General Woodworking

finish time.......

Accidental Woodworker - Fri, 01/03/2025 - 3:32am

 I think I figured out a way to saw the miters on the 'L' molding. I wish it had lit up the brain bucket when mitering the first moldings. I had to rob the wood buying kitty to buy another molding this AM. I have over 6 feet of it left for something else. I asked at Lowes and they don't sell it other than 8' lengths. I think Home Depot sells short lengths but I go mostly to Lowes.

 step one

I thought of this last night while watching Person of Interest. First draw a 45° line from the frame outside toe to the inside heel at each corner.

 lines up

The accuracy of this line is paramount. Before I did this I checked to make sure all four corners were dead nuts square and they were.

 the way I marked

I would place the molding on the frame and pencil the underside with a pencil. The confusion then was making sure I sawed to the toe or the heel. I ended up leaving an overly generous bit of wiggle room and planed it on the shooting board until it fit.

 it worked

The idea was to line up the molding's toe with the outside toe on the frame. Where the heel of the molding touched the line was where I had to saw it. I used the moldings I had sawn yesterday to check and verify this and it worked.

hmm....

Before I went to Lowes I squared up the inside chamfer. I am thinking of leaving it at the 22.5° chamfer. The 45° router bits won't be on my front porch until saturday and I was getting a impatient to finish this frame.

 simple

Why didn't I think of this the first time? This was the first one I checked to ensure my method worked. I marked the heel on the molding right where it crossed the pencil line.

 dead on

I used the pencil lines to sweeten up the other 3 moldings. I only needed to add one  more molding. The other 3, which I thought were dead on, weren't. I shot all three to lay dead on the 45° pencil lines.

 worth its weight in gold and diamonds

I the more I use this gadget, the more I am loving it. This is made by Rob Cosman and at first I was hesitant about buying it because I had to drill a hole in the plane's cheek. I got over that because this #6 is only used to shoot angles on this jig. It is comfortable and my fingers don't ache - there really isn't a good way to grip the plane without it. The biggest helper is I don't have to worry about jamming or nicking my fingers anymore.

 dry fit done

Got all four moldings fitted and all the miters look good. Before I install these moldings I will paint the picture frame first. That will be one color and the moldings will be a different color.(blue and black respectively as of now)

 bone dry

After dinner last night it felt dry but it also felt cool to the touch. This AM is dry and more importantly I was able to sand it. I sanded up a small pile of dust. If the poly hadn't dried and set up properly the sandpaper wouldn't have made dust. It would gum up and make eraser piles of poly.

 pic I missed yesterday

I don't use poly that much anymore but I do remember it being clear with a slight tint of yellow/orange. This is dark and pretty close to looking black.

 funny looking

The finish on the pine stick is darkish and it looks like there are dirt particles in it.

 no problems here

It may look dark in the can and on the stir stick but it is drying clear on the towel rack. It has a yellowish hue to it but I am looking more for this being water resistant than being clear as glass.

blue

My wife said to paint it leaving the choice of color(s) up to me. Blue is my favorite color so that will be the frame color. I am leaving the edges without paint so I can glue the molding to the frame. I don't want to use any nails/screws to secure the moldings to the frame.

 underside first

I got two coats on the underside of the feet and everything will be getting 3. I have one on the underside and I have to wait 4 hours before the 2nd one goes on. I'll try to paint the frame and apply more poly to the towel rack after dinner.

accidental woodworker

retreat, retreat......

Accidental Woodworker - Thu, 01/02/2025 - 3:21am

My wife has a cold and insists on talking to me. I, on the other hand, am trying to exceed social distancing so she doesn't infect me. We are into day 6 and it isn't getting any better. This AM I spent the entire morning running errands for her. Being that this was Jan 1st a lot of establishments were either closed or opening later than usual. Needless to say I spent a lot of time leaving and coming back to the barn. I finally got the bread she requested for breakfast just after the lunch bell rang.

On to me now and I'm feeling better after my bounce test with the sidewalk. It doesn't hurt to inhale/exhale or cough. I don't ache anymore but I still haven't been able to sleep on my left side. Within a few seconds of trying, my shoulder starts saying hello. It doesn't hurt a lot still but I can still feel it and I can't fall sleep. Maybe another week to heal and that will happen.

 8 foot long molding

To kill some time on one of the errands I went to Lowes (which opened at 0900 instead of 0600). I spent some quality time eyeballing the moldings seeking a specific profile. The first one I saw of this was only 3/4" on each outside leg. That wouldn't work for what I wanted. I did see this larger one and I almost had an involuntary bowel movement in aisle 21. $25 to walk out the door with this.

 it will work

I thought of using this molding last night but I wasn't sure if Lowes sold it anymore. The pickings in the molding aisle are mighty slim. It will hide the bridle joints which I all that I really wanted the  molding to do. It extends past the bottom of the frame by about a 1/4". It won't matter because the back frame is a 1/2" thick and I'm leaving it as is.

 triple points for the home team

I suck pond scum mitering this style of molding. I have a difficult time marking it and also keeping the orientation of the miters correct. All the moldings are long and all the miters are right (going in the right direction). I was feeling good that I wouldn't have to buy another 8' molding.

shouldn't have done it

This was the first molding I shot on the donkey ear jig and I blew it out. For whatever reason I didn't think I would need a backing stick. I was wrong and this molding went south on the express. I found a piece of 8/4 pine and sawed a backing stick.

 not perfect

There is a thin ridge in the corner that ran the entire length of the molding. It wouldn't lie flat on the frame until I removed it.

 what I chiseled off

A lot bigger than I thought and I can see why it was holding things up.

tiny chamfer

Planed a small chamfer all the way around the outside of the frame. The molding laid up tight after I chiseled the ridge but I did this for just in case.

 no hold ups

I checked that all four pieces laid up tight on the frame.

 for the towel rack

When I was at Lowes I was going to buy poly but I didn't. This Helmsman varnish was $26 and the other poly was $20. I found this can in the shop and it moved and sounded liquid. I gave it a try later on.

it bit me on the arse

The molding my finger is on needs to be shot for 45. The one to the right was spot on. Things went to shxt with this. I was feeling good that I had shot 3 corners at 90 and I was looking forward to finishing this up. Spoiler alert boys and girls, it didn't happen. The molding was long and I was doing ok with the first 3 times I trimmed and checked it. On the fourth one I sawed too much and made it short. I'll be heading for Lowes tomorrow for a new molding.

hmmm.....

I might as well see how this pans out. I had been thinking about planing a chamfer on the inside edge of the molding. It was easy to knock it. I thought  the toe would be too fragile and break off but it didn't.

 I like this

I think the chamfer look better than the rounded edge. 

 22.5° chamfer
 

This is a bit I used when I did formica counters many, many moons ago. I didn't have a 45° 1/4" shank router bit (ordered from Amazon) so I tried this. I like the chamfer but it is too small. I like the angle but I don't want a shallow one - 45 would look better.

 varnished the feet

When I opened the can the varnish was dark. (forgot to snap pics of it). When I stirred it the stir stick was dark. There weren't any blobs of finish congealed on the bottom of the can and it didn't smell different? To err on the side of caution I applied some only on the bottom of the feet. The can said 4 hours to dry and recoat so I'll check on it after dinner.

 another chamfer

When I was killing the lights I looked at this and thought of chamfering the outside edge too. So I stayed long enough to plane the chamfer. 

 I like this

I like how the chamfers flows from the outside edge of the frame to the inside edge of the frame. My initial thoughts are to shellac this but my wife wants a painted frame so paint wins the brass ring.

 an hour later

The varnish laid down with a slight darkness to it but an hour later it has that characteristic 'yellow' of poly. It was slightly tacky when I touched it which I considered to be good sign. If this varnish was toast due to its age (3+years?) I would expect it to be tacky and gummy. Fingers crossed for the next check.

accidental woodworker

More elm

Rivers Joinery - Wed, 01/01/2025 - 11:31am

 So, I've been continuing to use the elm up, making bowls etc.

The bottom one is dry now and ready for oiling. The top two have a way to go. The log wasn't so green and it's being lying in the hedge bottom for a while. I only finished carving the smaller ale bowl a few days ago. It's the first time I've tried my new kuksa gouge. Love it.


I used all the bowl carvers on this one.


Dave Budd bowl adze, Karlsson bowl gouge, kuksa gouge, Karlsson dogleg, twca cam, axe obviously and twocherries 12mm gouge to finish.


When I split the log, the juvenile tree was obvious in the split.



I thought it would work to retain the outside of the sapling (on the right) and use it as a handle and spout, for pouring.


Starting the hollowing with the bowl adze.


I love the texture of the bowl adze on the zigzag grain of elm.


Elm is a strong contender with oak as my favourite timber.



3 in the shop.......

Accidental Woodworker - Wed, 01/01/2025 - 3:12am

Today I realized that I have 3 projects going in the shop at the same time. Every now and then I have two but I can't recall the last time (if ever) I've had 3. One is waiting on a finish, the oldest is waiting on parts, and the last one has run into a brick wall. Don't know what is next on the shop project hit parade but I seem to pull something out of my hat to do.

 didn't count this one

This is a repair and not a project I just started. No surprises taking the clamps off.

 finish problems

It isn't showing well in this pic but the finish seems to have disappeared here. It is rough to the touch and visible as a cracked, bubbly, looking mess. 

 end joint

The chamfer is flush but the end grain is a teeny bit off. The opposite end grain is about the same. The top face joint is good - 99.9999% flush from one side to the other.

 cleaning it up

Scraped it all - top, bottom, sides, and the back first. Followed that up with 180 grit. I wasn't expecting the finish to have deteriorated this much in such a short amount of time. It looks better after this treatment and I'm on the fence about redoing it again with shellac. The underside looks like it only one coat of shellac and I'm sure I put at least 4 on it.

 lots of dings and divots

Along with dings and divots I put some dents in it with the clamps. I planed a fresh, clean, and smooth edge on it.

 planing the chamfer

This is the front of the lid and I planed a new chamfer until the corners aligned again.

 glued and cooking

Not much more I could do with this so I glued it up and set it aside to cook. Still haven't heard back from Amanda about a pic but I still have time.

 final touch up sanding

Dug out my small finger sanders and touched up the towel rack. This is now ready for its finish. I think I'm going to use poly on it and I'm leaning towards oil vice water based. That is something I can get at Wally World still.

backside frame

Cleaned these up and planed them to the same thickness.

ain't working

I let this make me feel like I didn't have opposable thumbs for half an hour before giving up. I'm not sure if it is the pine and its squirrely grain or how I tried to use this tool. Either way the results were absolute crappola squared. I have only tried to use this beader on pine and haven't gotten anywhere with it. I'll watch the LN how to use video on this again and I'll try it on some cherry scraps.

2nd option

These are the irons for my Record 405 which is the English version of the Stanley 45. I picked an iron and didn't even get to try it out. Couldn't figure out a way to hold the molding so I could plane it.