Woodworking Tips for Beginners

  Basement Shop Progress Got the brackets on the John Sterling standards loaded up with a Walnut tree I've had stored in the carport for 2 years. This tree was taken down over 20 years ago and cut up into about 50 boards (at least by the time I got it there were 50 - I'm not sure how much was actually produced as some had been used and there are missing pieces of the stack when aligned). The nice thing about having all the wood from the same tree is most of the color is the same once finished. There are also some interesting figure where the tree split into two trunks. I think it sat on the ground for a while as there are pin-holes along some boards where various insects had eaten into the sap - anything that was suspicious was cut away. Another interesting aspect - most of the wider and thicker boards were the straightest and had minimal checking and splitting - there's evidence of stickering on those - the smaller boards were probably just piled up with weight, I suspect....

  The ceiling is finally sealed up - next on the list is finishing the ducting for the DC. I managed to move all the rest of my lumber (temporarily stored in another are of the basement) onto the existing racks - looks like I have room for about another couple hundred feet before it's at capacity - as it is what's on the racks is probably close to being unmanagable. I also got the ambient duct collector up - got this Jet unit when it went on sale at Amazon last year. It works well filtering down to 1 micron with multiple speeds and a remote control (it can be set with a timer as well). The World's Largest Collection of 16000 Woodworking Plans! One of the ways I was able to manage the project was to move all my mechanics tools and metal working items into another area of the basement. I picked up a metal rolling workbench with wood top for $10 at a neighborhood yardsale (bought it and rolled it two blocks to the house - I bet that was an odd sight). I've yet to mount the...

  Basement Shop Progress  I figured it had been a while since I posted images of the shop - at this point I guess the shop is really an ongoing effort - I'm not sure if I'll ever get it to the point where I'm totally satisfied. From the last group of images, I've put in the central pipe for the dust collector and started placing my workbenches - but it finally hit me that I've got too many tools, so many of my project tools will need to go - some I'll put on CraigsList while others I'll part out an put on eBay (or list on the Old Woodworking Tools org site as sale items). This first image shows how I tied in the Grizzly Cyclone into the over-head duct system. I tried to minimize what was overhead and did so by running a main trunk line down the center of the room with "y"s leading to each side (one exception was a duct running along one end with drops to a long bench which I'll show below). There are also two floor standing drill presses shown,...

  Rust Hunting in Georgia Another horribly busy weekend, however I did manage to hit two sales. The first netted some good woodworking and DIY books along with a Zyliss vise and hewing hatchet, also three Buck Brothers turning tools that are super heavy. First time I've ever seen that particular blacksmithing book in hardcover (fairly common in paperback). The World's Largest Collection of 16000 Woodworking Plans! I missed out on the box with accessories for $10 on the vise - saw the guy walking out with it and somehow didn't see it (must have been sitting somewhere else in the garage). I did score the main components for $15 even though the table-clamps are upside down... This Falls City hewing hatchet (it's a single plane on the left side - I tried to get an image but it was too blurred) comes in handy when smoothing split logs - now if I can only find a broadaxe...) These Buck Brothers turning tools are the larges/heaviest I've ever seen - happy to get the skew, ...

  Rust Hunting in Georgia I have a few weekends of tool finds I need to get caught up with - the oldest is from May 12, 2012. This is an interesting collection of tools found at a yard sale. I noticed a couple of folding rules and asked the guy if he had any other tools - he said he had a box that an old roommate had left in the garage. When he pulled it out and I saw a caliper and a few other machinists tools in there I asked how much for the box. He readily accepted my $30 offer. Now just from rooting around in the box I realized that there weren't many of the better brands, but I figured that the Brown and Sharpe dial caliper was worth at least $30 (with modern versions going for $150+). Most of the tools are Craftsman, Lufkin or other similar (the few Starretts and B&S you can see in the photos). First time I've seen 4 working speed indicators - actually the first time I've seen any at a yard sale - go figure. 3 are Starretts and one unmarked with a brass dial). In ...

  Basement Shop Progress  Got the brackets on the John Sterling standards loaded up with a Walnut tree I've had stored in the carport for 2 years. This tree was taken down over 20 years ago and cut up into about 50 boards (at least by the time I got it there were 50 - I'm not sure how much was actually produced as some had been used and there are missing pieces of the stack when aligned). The nice thing about having all the wood from the same tree is most of the color is the same once finished. There are also some interesting figure where the tree split into two trunks. I think it sat on the ground for a while as there are pin-holes along some boards where various insects had eaten into the sap - anything that was suspicious was cut away. Another interesting aspect - most of the wider and thicker boards were the straightest and had minimal checking and splitting - there's evidence of stickering on those - the smaller boards were probably just piled up with weight, I suspect...

  Basement Shop Progress Pics The ceiling is finally sealed up - next on the list is finishing the ducting for the DC. I managed to move all the rest of my lumber (temporarily stored in another are of the basement) onto the existing racks - looks like I have room for about another couple hundred feet before it's at capacity - as it is what's on the racks is probably close to being unmanagable. I also got the ambient duct collector up - got this Jet unit when it went on sale at Amazon last year. It works well filtering down to 1 micron with multiple speeds and a remote control (it can be set with a timer as well). One of the ways I was able to manage the project was to move all my mechanics tools and metal working items into another area of the basement. I picked up a metal rolling workbench with wood top for $10 at a neighborhood yardsale (bought it and rolled it two blocks to the house - I bet that was an odd sight). I've yet to mount the swivel radial vise as I didin'...

  Basement Shop Progress Pics I figured it had been a while since I posted images of the shop - at this point I guess the shop is really an ongoing effort - I'm not sure if I'll ever get it to the point where I'm totally satisfied. From the last group of images, I've put in the central pipe for the dust collector and started placing my workbenches - but it finally hit me that I've got too many tools, so many of my project tools will need to go - some I'll put on CraigsList while others I'll part out an put on eBay (or list on the Old Woodworking Tools org site as sale items). This first image shows how I tied in the Grizzly Cyclone into the over-head duct system. I tried to minimize what was overhead and did so by running a main trunk line down the center of the room with "y"s leading to each side (one exception was a duct running along one end with drops to a long bench which I'll show below). There are also two floor standing drill presses sh...