Not sure if any of you follow Jimmy Diresta's Youtube channel, but I thought I'd share in case you didn't: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiEk4x ... NIBBpowdYQ The guy is an incredible "Maker", and he just builds very cool stuff with a variety of skills/techniques. He's done some pretty high-end stuff, like a Crown Royal bar convention display. Best part is that most of his videos are very short (a few minutes), and he uses a lot of sped-up video to get through the "boring" parts. Makes them very, very watchable. Like this (this is a little long compared to his normal videos): Spoiler He also does some very cool things that I never thought of or have seen before, so much so that he's made a few "Jimmy's Tricks" videos that have some rather interesting tidbits of knowledge in them. Here are the 4 tips videos he's made so far: Spoiler That measuring one was really eye-opening for me... some stuff I'd never seen in there. And if you watch that first video, seeing how he centres the drawer handle near the end of the video was an epiphany... especially since I'm about to start making some bedroom furniture... lots of dressers and tons of drawers... very handy. Anyway, just thought I'd share in case you hadn't heard of him before. It's a great way to waste a Sunday.
Thanks for the suggestions. I do not have large paper and plotter here at my house, and can't get a drawing bow here this weekend. (but that is cool.) I also wasn't sure about cutting kiln dried white wood with a jig saw. I have a couple scraps I tried the blade on, and it seems to work. I had pieced together the half arc papers already, but was just wondering if there was something simple I wasn't thinking about. Thanks all. Nett, I have seen one of those videos before. Love that guy.
Nice. It's funny how there's that certain "freeing moment" when you realize that your own ingenuity with what you have on hand is just as good, if not better/easier, than the "proper" way to do stuff.
Yeah, cuz mine usually ends in, "well, shit. That didn't work!" Thought I'd post it in case anybody else needed to do something like that.
It goes without saying that it's a very iterative process... with more misses than hits, at least early on.
Something worth keeping in mind is looking to the end results. There's a saying: measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with a chainsaw. It's fine to take the time to draw it in CAD, plot it, and cut the paper. But remember, the paper offers no resisitance, and wouldn't have been as easy to draw against as the PVC, losing some of that precious symmetry and mathematical precision. Then, I cut it with a handheld jigsaw. I could've drawn it with a laser, and I still have to cut it with something that loses precision as it moves.
A little project i just finished, nothing fancy, its just a nice piece of Cherry with an old school bottle opener and a really strong magnet (a neodymium disc magnet with about 80 lbs of pull force) recessed into the back to catch the bottle caps. The screws attaching the opener to the wood are extra long and go right through to mount it to the wall. I saw the idea on a kickstarter a while back and figured id just make my own. I really didnt think it was that big a deal as its super fucking simple to make but my family and friends have gone fucking nuts over it and now they all want one, so at least i've got my christmas and birthday presents sorted this year! I figured you guys would appreciate this as well, this table was built by my old man as an engagement present for the Fiance and I based on a design we saw online. Table top is African Mahogany (if you can believe it the local town council actually paid him to remove this tree and several others and he got to keep all the wood) and the legs are Aluminium I Beam. The legs didnt turn out quite how we wanted as Dad had limited coating options where he lives... we wanted a clear coat of some sort but what we ended up with was this prison grey powder coating... its not terrible by any means but the fiance is a bit of a perfectionist so well probably eventually get it sandblasted and clear coated like we planned originally. Its still a fucking amazing table and im so happy with it:
Love the table top, but yeah, the legs aren't exactly my thing. A proper dining room table is on my radar, probably get into it before summer, and I found this site online that has some killer designs/ideas: http://stacklab.ca/ In particular, I really like how this table looks with the metal legs: I'm looking to do something similar. I love the look of the wood being a tenon into the metal mortise, and that dark, clear-coated metal look. But damn, that table top on your table is fucking amazing... I can only hope to finish with something that nice. If had the space and need, this would be my ultimate table... I just cannot think of another table I'd love to make/have more than this one: I can only imagine how heavy that fucker is.
I may have to copy your gift idea there. Looks like a really nice simple project and one board could go a long ways. The table is fantastic too- an even better gift. I fucking love the natural edges. That is the kind of table I want to build someday, except with a slab of black walnut or cherry (and traditional legs). Sounds like your dad has a great connection. Some of the best lumber I've used, high grade walnut in particular, was obtained from salvage and hazard removal work like that.
I replied to Flat_Rate with this in a PM as he asked about the magnet but if you are going to make some as well ill put it up in here as well: To save you some trial and error id recommend aiming for a total pull force of no less than 80lbs. For the one i've just made i achieved that with two 30mm x 10mm neodymium discs stacked together (this one: https://magnet.com.au/neodymium-disc-30mm-x-10mm.html) I started with one disc but it wasn't enough, it caught most caps but not all and could only hold a few caps at a time before they just started dropping past it. Once i added a second one it was much better and never drops one and can hold 30+ caps at a time (yes i did test that). Buying two magnets wasnt particularly cost effective though so for my next batch im looking at using whats called a 'shallow pot' magnet: http://www.lodestoneindustries.com.au/products.asp#1 Magnetic Shallow Pots are much stronger than similar magnets of the same size and type. They generally have a steel cap (or pot) on one side of the magnet. The steel cap redirects the magnetic flux of one of the magnetic poles to the other side of the magnet. This enables both the North and South Poles of the magnet to be concentrated on the same side, at the same time thus creating a significantly increased holding capacity. For me this is going to work out about 1/3rd cheaper than the two magnet system i used for this first one
I'm on the market for a band saw and could use advice. At the minimum I need 6" if not 8" or 10" cutting height capacity as I may be re-sawing hardwood lumber with it, but that would not be my primary use (see below). Much of what I use is figured walnut, so more power wouldn't hurt but may not be necessary if the cost is excessive. Plus I'm not sure if the place I'm moving to will have a 220v outlet available so that may limit things too. If you were looking at used tools like on Craigslist, etc, what are the brands to look for? Any specific features or things to look for too? Thanks in advance.
I have an old Beaver bandsaw, and I really like it. Aside from adjustable speed, the only thing I'd personally give a shit about would be a cast arm between the two wheels, not the newer and cheaper pressed metal arms... they just don't have the same strength and rigidity. Old and heavy wins, in my opinion. Other than that, maybe check the stability and ease of adjustment of the platform, and the alignment of the guides, and maximized platform size to allow a long fence, clamps, etc., for your re-sawing. Maybe check for the pulley... what belt is it using? An old style, or a newer serpentine? Older styles can be a little less performing and slip, especially if the belt itself is old. I've found that so much of a bandsaw is in the blades themselves... you can do better with a great re-saw band and a shit saw than a great saw with a shit band.
Finally decided to do something about the piece of shit shed in my yard. It's like a cheap metal shed that has had a weird extension added to the middle of it. The doors wouldn't close, and the "lock" on it was a joke. Spoiler: BEFORE Spoiler: DURING Spoiler: AFTER The shed is now solid, lockable, on a fairly good sized concrete pad, waterproof, and with solar-powered motion detecting lighting inside. I can finally get some of my power tools off the deck and locked up, freeing up my deck for summer fun. I went with two different sized doors so that I mostly use the one large, centred door, but in the event that I have the need for more room (like loading in an engine on a crane) I can swing that 2nd door open if need be. Gotta love living in cedar country (I have a cedar mill a half mile from my place). Less than $120 in materials all in.
Just bought this saw and am taking it home this afternoon- an American made Delta 14" with a riser block. Hell yeah! Got it from a used tool supplier who listed it on Craiglist and it was originally bought a couple decades ago by a guy who used it occasionally in his home shop, so it's barely used. The price left room in my budget for a dust collection system too. Awesome.
Just wondering if anyone had any advice on jack planes. Looking for a 14"± low angle jack plane to flatten out some benches, etc., and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of make/models, and where to get them. The two options I seem to have found are a Veritas from Lee Valley at $400 delivered, or a cheap-as-fuck Stanley for $130 from eBay (which has nothing but shit said about it). Not really sure I want to buy a family heirloom for $400, just looking for something that will work reasonably well. Anyone have any pointers?
It's funny how shit works sometimes... Took another quick look on CraigsList and whaddayaknow, found a #5 jack plane only 15 miles away for $100 that was listed this morning. Just got back from picking it up. Everything looks great, just needs to have the blade properly sharpened. Thankfully I have a good set of water stones and a honing guide, so after 20-30 minutes of TLC it should be plenty good enough for what I need it to do.
Sounds like a solid deal... and in my experience the blade is what matters most so if it can hold a good edge you should be set.