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Showing posts with label i. Show all posts
Showing posts with label i. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

If I Only Had Time For Marc

The Wood Whisperer posted big new yesterday, announcing that he was hiring. Producing and managing all that great content has become more than a two (2) person job. Initially the new hire will "help with written articles and post preparation." From there, Marc says it will depend on the hire.

Who wouldnt want to work for this guy?
Ill admit I found it tempting to apply. Working with Marc and taking an even greater role in the community would be a wonderful experience. Unfortunately I soon realized that between work, family, The Penultimate Woodshop and the Modern Woodworkers Association Im already spread far too thin.

That said, hopefully you have the time to take up the opportunity. Fill out the application form on The Wood Whisperer Site here, help Marc out and get more involved.
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Monday, February 10, 2014

Dollhouse for Peaches Day 12 Part I

Day 12 - Part I - The Pillars
Nows the time to permanently install the pillars. Im using the clamps to hold things in place while I apply glue, then slowly move things to their final positions...







Ill let the glue set for a few days, and then work on some small trim, fill all nail holes, and then the whole piece will be sanded down to 220 grit. More to come!

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

An unusual desk project Part I Sylvania Ohio

Ive started work on an unusual desk project, and wanted to share it with you.  My customer has asked me to make his desk longer!  Here are some pictures of the existing desk.  It is a custom built desk, about 7 years old.    


There are several major challenges on this project: Color matching the stain, the precision cut to split the desk,  and making the entire thing come back together!  A word about color matching stains - I cannot guarantee a perfect match.  This desk has been in front of this window for several years, and has also endured usage and age, which makes matching almost impossible. But, I think I have it as close as its going to get...


Ok, heres the plan...
Im going to split this desk into two pieces.  I will be making a cut to the right side of the existing drawer, and adding a 3 section in between, with a new drawer below.
I will need to add a new support piece also.  Here is what the existing looks like...



The desk top is separated with a transition piece.  I can section in the new top addition using a similar transition piece...


Now for some shop work.  After coming up with a color match and approving it with the customer, Ive started to make the new support legs in the shop.  I picked up the angle from the existing supports, so that my new supports will match.  Ive also made so new bullnose pieces, and cut the top...


All of the materials are birch.  Birch is a great material for a desk, and used to be pretty readily available, but not so much any more.  Ive managed to locate what I need, but it took some leg work to track it down.  More to come...
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So What Does An Old French Guy Know That I Dont

So with my last two posts, you must know by now that I am trying to define a vice that will adapt to the type of work I do, and plan to do. As I plan to make boxes, everything from jewellery to writing boxes, I expect they will be built in an array of sizes and shapes, not all necessarily square. I also have found a new interest; kinetic sculptures. This is a very fancy name for folk art that has moving parts. A more recognizable term for them is "whirligigs". Some of the more complex ones I have looked at lately absolutely fascinate me. I will leave the topic of kinetic sculptures for another day, but I mention them because they explain why I want a vice that will work out of parallel.
So far, my trip into the physics of applied forces hasnt been met with anything that even slightly resembles a, "I say there, Mitchell, I think you might have it, sir". In truth, my plans have pretty much garnered a, "Cute, but it wont bloody work you moron."
So I do what I do best...I do more research.
For my vice idea, I only had to cruise as far as the Popular Woodworking site to discover one of Christopher Schwarzs articles on vices, one of many, an article entitled, "Meet the Etaux from Old Salems Shop".
An "Etaux" is an add-on to a vice and is used for specialty work, much like Moxons Twin Screw Bench Vice. The one Chris was discussing is basically a miniature leg vice.
Chris had a couple of images of this vice that were small and showed less than ideal detail. I went off and searched for better ones, but couldnt come up with any, so I did a little work with Chris to get some of the detail between the uprights to display. If nothing else, these adjusted images will show you why you cant enlarge digital image files - they fall apart.
Bad images aside, the design of this vice results in the question..."Why the hell will this old French guys design work and mine wont?"

The inset is the original in its original size and the black and white image
is the adjusted one, like I had to explain that one to you :0)



There is no glide connecting these two uprights to keep them
parallel. None, nada, zip. The only parts are a large screw at
the top, and a smaller one at the bottom. Now where did
I see that design before?
Oh ya. It was mine!


Two examples from an early 20th-century tool catalogue, La Forge Royale.


While I have never seen this vice before, I couldnt help but notice that even the bottom, lighter screw comes at things from the back. 

While I cant see it in the photos, the bottom screw may be connected to the front upright in some way. I have emailed Chris and asked him about this. Ill let you know his answer once I receive it.

Peace,

Mitchell





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