I built a workshop table once that was stacked 2 x 4s, and I planed four 2x4s at a time to do it. I screwed 4 together, planed them, then took 2 of them and 2 new 2 x 4s and planed them to match. It was not a quick process, but it came out pretty well enough that belt sanding them got it very nice. Could that approach work here?
A guy that makes a lampshade out of a log. For those of you that like working with wood might get some type of wood-like reaction from this video: [youtube]http://youtu.be/LgsDWb0orSQ[/youtube]
A pictorial step-by-step of building a tobacco pipe http://www.dmpipes.com/pictorial.html Also, I have a table saw that needs some rehabilitation. The trunnions and arbor assembly are solid as all fuck, and I just replaced the motor last year...but the wings aren't cast iron and the rip fence wobbles. I know Beisemeyer is considered the measure with which all other fences are measured; what else is out there on the market? Does anyone know of a reliable place to get cast-iron wings? My Google-fu is strong, I'm just looking for an opinion that has experience with either of these to back it up.
I don't actually have the saw with me at the moment, since it's still up north - I'm hoping to bring it home in the next month or so. This is the best picture I could find:
Hmm. Kind of a tough one - I don't know that make of saw, so finding cast iron wings is kind of hit-or-miss if you want to see about fitting delta or powermatic wings, maybe. You might also try Saw Stop - they're near you and very nice people to deal with. If any of those are the right outside size you could always re-tap and fit them to your saw. You could use a delta unifence or a beisemeyer, or one of the many knock-off third party fences, but be careful - by the time you outfit this saw with all the things it needs, you might have spent enough that you could've bought a pretty nice used saw. I would check the local auctions and craigslist before doing all this, you might just get lucky. I've seen beautiful machines sell for a few hundred bucks, and in the upper midwest you're in prime 40's, 50's beautiful cast iron machine territory. Sorry I can't be more help here - without having a better idea of what that is, I can't say too much with any surety. And even then, I'm much better with the professional/industrial grade stuff. Good luck - let me know if you do come across an old Oliver/Northfield/General/Delta/Rockwell/Powermatic/Tannewitz/Yates, etc., and want an opinion there. I had an old 5hp Oliver with a 3 foot sliding table that I sold for $500, a while back, and I bought my current Wadkin of about the same size for $600 a few years later - in today's economy I'll bet you could do better.
I don't know if any of y'all are in Long Island or nearabouts, but I'm doing a little lecture/artist presentation thing tonight for the Long Island Craft Guild tonight in Syosset. I'm pretty sure it's open to the public: http://www.licg.org/calendar.html
Right this minute? Making a gift for a friend's new baby, waiting for some paint to dry so I can hit it with the next stencil before I go to another friend's opening. In general? I don't know - goofing off and killing free time, maybe helping people see that they don't have to be a cubicle jockey if they work at what they love, definitely sneaking in a little "trying to make young men act like better human beings, especially to women," trying to make people interested in the arts and occasionally laughing at some young'un who thinks I don't know what I'm talking about. Mostly just goofing off, though.
OK, I would like to build my wife a present. It needs to NOT look like shit, but it doesn't need to be perfect, either. She's into the rustic/antique/primitive shit. So far I've built her a jelly cabinet and another small cabinet, both of which she loves. This project, however, is much more difficult: I want to build her a farmhouse table. Something like this: I'm looking to make it fairly large, probably 8' long. It doesn't need to look perfect, but I need it to be functional: We're supposed to have her family over for Easter, and it seems they've taken it upon themselves to invite extra people. It has to be built well enough to seat 8 to 10 and hold plates, silverware, food, etc. It doesn't need to be fancy, but since it will be permanently in our dining room, it needs to not look like something I banged together in three weeks (which is the time frame I have to get it done).
Looks like a great project. What are you going to use for lumber? Do you have clamps to glue up the top, or is it finally time for me to draw and post a damned picture of the opposing wedge setup (I'll do it anyway, asap.)? Have you ever cut mortises and tenons before? Do you have a jointer or planer? Sorry I don't remember - tablesaw? Hit me with your questions. You can do this, I think.
No idea on the lumber. I've seen plans online where people just use 2 x 10s or 2 x 12s. I have a few clamps, but the biggest I have are 24". I have a small hand planer (18v Ryobi). My planing machine died. No, I don't have a jointer, and I've never cut mortises or tenons. Table saw, yes, I have the ShopSmith that can handle that.
Other questions: I was debating doing tongue and groove on the table top. Worth it, or no? How about using dowels to put the table top on the frame?
I was up north this weekend picking up the boat, and managed to get a picture of the manufacturing label: United by Newcorp
OK, I have my basic design ready, so now I just some construction tips. Definitely want to see the opposing wedge setup, suapyg.
I'm not making the furniture I'm working on, but I have no idea where else to put this. If it's off-topic - sorry. For the last month I've been picking up various pieces of old furniture from random garage sales and Craigslist and then re-finishing and distressing them. Here's my latest project. Distressed/beat-up nightstands: Spoiler Painted the kinda fancy looking old nightstands in white. Then beat the shit out of them, to make them look like this. I love the way they look. I know the old/distressed/beat up look isn't for everyone but it really suits our decor at home. I'm also working on re-finishing an old but amazing wood dresser, which I won't be painting or beating up. The wood is too beautiful. It just needs a little TLC. And I'm working on re-purposing an old door as a headboard, but I'm still undecided about what to do with the glass panels on the door I found. I certainly don't want glass on the headboard. I think I'd like to wrap fabric around a piece of wood/insert for each hole (I have no idea what the technical term for this is - and I'm not very good at explaining). Any other suggestions? Tonight I'll be finishing up with another dresser, which I painted a grey-ish colour and then rubbed gel stain over over for a light antique look. The creases look awesome because there is some stain build-up in them. I'm loving the way all these things look, but I really want each piece to be uniquely different. Not a fan of "everything the same." I have plenty of other pieces to place with. Any tips or tricks for distressing/refinishing/revamping old furniture?