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A week in the shop


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24 minutes ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

It was a good day until it wasn't. I was dimensioning the parts for the workbench, neighbor came over to ask a question, forgot to recheck my set up and ended up having to scrap my original plan.  So now I need some advise.  Originally was planing the legs to be 5"x3", probably would have ended up at 2 7/8".  Well my mistake now means my legs are sitting at 5"x2 1/2".  They look odd, so I was thinking going to 4 1/2"x2 1/2" or 4"x2 1/2".  What do you think would be best?

You could laminate an additional piece and just place them on the inside where they won't really be noticeable.

In the end, I like this option because it keeps the rest of your plans on course and you'd really have to look for it to find it.  

I'm more of a fan of 4" by 4" for the legs on this bench.  The bench is a beast and wouldn't look quite right if the legs got too thin..  Just my opinion but, that's it..

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I would laminate also.  I know that a bench is a biggest and most costly project for most of us for our shops and want it to look nice but bottom line is it is a tool and you want it to do the job properly and that is more important then pretty and perfect, in my mind.

You could laminate a totally different species to make it a feature instead of a boo boo.

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;  remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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17 minutes ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

So since I'm at my 5" width, I'm thinking laminating the piece a bit over sized and flush trimming. 

Yea, that would be a good idea.  You would only need a 1/16 of an inch or so on each side.

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;  remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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22 minutes ago, Coop said:

Just wondering if the extra 3/8” lamination is worth the while? 

If it were me and beings he is going to add some back on anyway I would add on enough to get back to at least his original plan for 3 inches.

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;  remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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9 hours ago, Coop said:

Is the 3/8” difference between your original 2 7/8” and the now 2 1/2” more of a support issue or a keep to someone’s original design? Just wondering if the extra 3/8” lamination is worth the while? 

I may be wrong, but when I compared the first piece I messed up, to the other legs I needed to further mill, the weight of that 1/2" felt significant.  I have been without a true bench for so long, the extra step of laminating another piece to each leg isn't a big deal.

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Lessons learned from all this time in the shop:

1) I have bought a lot of stupid stuff

2) Can't seem to find a few things I'm actually looking for

3) Miter saw throws out a tremendous amount of dust and takes up a lot of room

4) I have a bunch of tools, to good to trash, but probably wouldn't sell

I'm sure there's more lessons learned, but I think I'm purposely forgetting them at the moment

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29 minutes ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

Lessons learned from all this time in the shop:

1) I have bought a lot of stupid stuff

2) Can't seem to find a few things I'm actually looking for

3) Miter saw throws out a tremendous amount of dust and takes up a lot of room

4) I have a bunch of tools, to good to trash, but probably wouldn't sell

I'm sure there's more lessons learned, but I think I'm purposely forgetting them at the moment

Ahmen!

1.  I too have bought a lot of "stupid" stuff.  But, what's "stupid" for me might make someone else's day so, I try to pass that stuff along for free as a way of paying it forward.

2.  I think we all go through this but, the organization will help with that

3.  Even with a Kapex and dedicated CT, this tool tosses the dust!  Regardless, I don't see my shop without it.  That's right for my shop, could be different for yours.

4.  See answer #1.  Unless they have some sentimental value, I simply try to move that stuff on to someone who wants to grow with them.

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22 minutes ago, Kev said:

I simply try to move that stuff on to someone who wants to grow with them.

+1

I think the one trap can be videos.  You see someone doing some technique in a video and the tool makes it look more accurate or refined s you think you need it too.

This is why seasoned hobbyist's  tell newbies don't buy a tool until you need it for a project.

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"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;  remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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1 minute ago, Chet said:

+1

I think the one trap can be videos.  You see someone doing some technique in a video and the tool makes it look more accurate or refined s you think you need it too.

This is why seasoned hobbyist's  tell newbies don't buy a tool until you need it for a project.

This is so dead on accurate!

I've really tried to pay attention to that in my videos.  Yes, I pull out the domino often but, I also have videos showing how to do it without the domino.  What I haven't shown is how to do what the domino does without the domino!  @Chet is 2 for 2 on the video idea front!  I don't have a video showing how to cut a couple mortises with the router and then making your own tenon stock to complete the joint.  I'm going to have to fix that as soon as I get home!

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17 minutes ago, Chet said:

+1

I think the one trap can be videos.  You see someone doing some technique in a video and the tool makes it look more accurate or refined s you think you need it too.

This is why seasoned hobbyist's  tell newbies don't buy a tool until you need it for a project.

I agree with you!  

I bought a cordless circular saw and used it twice.  I was on a business trip, got a great deal on lumber, needed to cut it down.  The batteries are NiCad and after 4 or 5 cuts in 3/4 material it needed to be charged.  

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My biggest tool regret is probably my router table. I remember watching videos an seeing them just doing all this great work. I got it in my head that I couldn’t do without it if I wanted to get better. Now it just sits there I might use it  twice a year for a quick quarter round something. I have a match door set but it’s such a pita to get set up perfect that I hate dragging it out now. It’s quicker on the ts or my plow plane. 

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1 hour ago, Chet said:

+1

I think the one trap can be videos.  You see someone doing some technique in a video and the tool makes it look more accurate or refined s you think you need it too.

I still blame Norm and Chet for my spending. 

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44 minutes ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

I bought a cordless circular saw and used it twice.

I had a cordless circular saw and actually used it quite a bit but the big thing was I had it in my truck because my lumber yard occasionally has stuff that is 14 foot. So I would cut it down because even with a flag here in California it is illegal if it is over 4 feet past your tailgate.  I don't know if he remembers but one time we needed it we didn't have it because we had Kev's truck. ?

Now I take my Milwaukee cordless jigsaw.

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;  remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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2 minutes ago, Coop said:

I still blame Norm and Chet for my spending. 

Just consider me your research source before you buy.

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"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;  remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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I should probably start a new thread for my shop ramblings, but here is the latest.  I added the extra stock to the legs and milled to almost final dimension.  Just need to cut them to length.  Legs finished at 4 15/16 X 3".  I wish I would have changed the knives in the planer, the absolute final pass resulted in some minor tear out.  Couple swipes with a plane and card scraper took care of it.  Next is joinery.  I decided to paint the base of the bench, I like how Kev's sons bench turned out.

I did some more shop organization, moving sheet goods and other stuff.  Today I changed planer knives and cursed the previous owner for a good 20 minutes.  Before I bought he changed so haven't had to do.  So apparently he lost 2 bolts, replaced with flat head screws, which makes changing blades a pain.  I also put the miter saw back in the shop, need for the bench, got it mounted to a new stand and cleaned it up really good, replaced sacrificial fence and added new ZCI strip.  

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Another painted base, looking forward to seeing it?

For the record, I'm an absolute fan of GF milk paint!  It comes in standard colors but, is super easy to mix to get your own color as well.  What I really like about it is how it flows out and really hides brush strokes!

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55 minutes ago, Kev said:

Another painted base, looking forward to seeing it?

For the record, I'm an absolute fan of GF milk paint!  It comes in standard colors but, is super easy to mix to get your own color as well.  What I really like about it is how it flows out and really hides brush strokes!

I have a color in mind, never used milk paint, do you tint with dye or something else?

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8 hours ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

I have a color in mind, never used milk paint, do you tint with dye or something else?

I'm sure you can color it with something but, I've found it easiest to simply mix their bas colors to get the color I want.  I believe there's some charts out there to show you what amounts to get some colors they don't stock..

The coffee bar was a mix to get the color my wife wanted.  The base on my sons bench was the left over from that project.  All from a single quart too, it goes farther than you think!

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