Technology in the Shop – Part 1 – Intro and Project Plans

Published on by Mike  (5 Comments)

So I recently wrote about setting up a dedicated computer in the shop, but I really glanced over why I set one up.  Why is there a need for a weekend warrior hobbyist to have a dedicated computer in his shop?  There isn’t any one answer.

I would imagine in many pro shops, especially larger ones, there is already a large presence of computers and technology in the shops.  From running CNC machines, to looking up project specs, to logging into the company’s ERP system, there are countless needs for computers in the pro shops.  However, in a hobbyist shop, most of the needs are simply not there.  So why a computer in the shop?

My day job is working in IT.  While on the surface, woodworking and IT may be an odd combination.  However, the number of IT workers who pick up some element of woodworking as a hobby is surprisingly big.  So, with having a computer in the shop, when there is already multiple computers running in the house doesn’t seem like a big deal, just another computer geek move.  🙂  That said, I do believe their are non-geek (arguably) legitimate reasons to have a computer  in the shop.

The first use for having a computer in the shop is for digital project plans.  I personally use SketchUp, because it is both free and very easy to use.  I know there are many who have access to other CAD software such as AutoCad or even Solidworks.  Sometimes it could be just as simple as viewing a scanned in project plan in a PDF file.  The benefits over having a paper plan are numerous.  All formats allow you to zoom in to look at a detail closer.  The  3D and CAD software also allow you to rotate the project from just about any angle you can think of.  It also gives you the ability to hide parts, or even a highlight a single complex part.  Also if a measurement is displayed, using the software getting that measurement is a snap.  I will admit, there are times that a paper copy of something is beneficial, especially when standing at the table saw.  This is why my shop computer is also tied to the house network printer. 🙂

In the next week or so, I will post the second part of this article, so keep your eye out for it!

 Part 2

Shop and Site updates

Published on by Mike  (2 Comments)

First, I wanted to mention my newest shop update.  I had been finding myself more and more carting my primary laptop out to the the shop.  Now, a shop isn’t the best place for a computer, especially when it is being placed in any available flat surface.  The first problem is that it would get covered with sawdust.  I don’t know how many times I would come back in, and have to work on getting a piece of saw dust  jammed under a key, they having to clean it out.  Next, their was risk to the computer itself.  First, my shop is in a garage that door is typically open in the warmer months while working.  While I live in a good area, there is always risk that the computer could walk away.  Next their was always a risk of the computer getting damaged or destroyed by either a projectile off of a saw or getting knocked on the concrete floor.  After thinking it through, I decided to resurrect an old laptop that needed a hard drive.  Fortunately I was able to get one very cheaply.  I got it on there, and got the OS reinstalled on it (plus 200 windows updates to go with it!) .  Software wise, I put on the chat client I use for The Woodwhisperer chat room, current browsers, SketchUp (I draw all my project plans on that now), and ustream producer, so I can stream while in the shop.  (Believe it or not, people DO watch!)

Between the mouse click of getting everything installed on that computer, I built a small shelf out in the garage for it.  The shelf is up high, probably 6’5″ off the ground.  The was to address, a protecting it from flying objects and to help keep it away from the dust.  It will still get dusty, but I will hit with the shop vac to help with that.  Next I had an old 17″ flat panel laying around, along with a wall mount arm for a TV which we ended up never using.  So I mounted the monitor up on the wall, up high as well, for the same reasons as the computer, but also so I can see it comfortably while standing (I am 6’2″).  Finally I setup some old speakers (bought them for college nearly 15 years ago) so I could have some music from Pandora.com playing while I am out working.  Finally I got a cheap wireless keyboard and mouse.  Frankly they are junk, but they are good enough out the shop.  I spent well under a $100 for the setup, and it is well worth it!  Plus, with everything being old or cheap, if anything disappears or gets destroyed, I am not out a whole lot.

One quick site update, it was pointed out to me today that comments were not working.  I did not realize this, because commenting on my site is like calling my own cell phone, I never do it.  Most of the comments I get here are spam, and I have spam filters in place, and I just assumed that it was working.  Anyway, I figured out which plug-ins were causing it, and they have since been deactivated, so feel free to leave a comment on any of my posts!  😀

Tool Cabinet Project – Finally!

Published on by Mike  (Leave a comment)

Ever since I completed the chisel rack at the beginning of 2011, I have been wanting to build a hand tool cabinet.  Over the past year or so I have off and on been working on a design for the cabinet using sketch-up.  So to take advantage of a long weekend, this past Saturday I finally started the actual build.  Right off the bat, I made a design change to the cabinet, simply because I had the wood to do with.  I had some wide boards of maple I have been holding back for this project, that were a bit wider then the 7″ depth I had planned on.  So I added on an extra inch, making it 8″ deep.  I was pretty much in the shop all day Saturday, and got most of the case work done on it.  The only items missing were the dividers for the drawers and the back.  During the process of cutting the dados, I made another design change.  I decided it may be good to have one of the drawers wider, so I took out the center divider.

Sunday, I did spend nearly as much time in the shop as the heat and humidity (it wanted to rain all day, but didn’t) were horrible.  I did however clean up all the glue joints and sanded it.

Today, Labor Day Monday, I glued in the dividers and back.  This was also the inaugural run of my new cross-cut sled I made.  I have been meaning to make one for years, even bought Incra’s slider bar a couple years ago, but never got around to it.  The back on this is 27″ wide, and would be impossible to cut with the miter gauge on the table saw.  I did break it down to manageable piece with my circular saw, but that does not leave a clean cut.  In fact it tears up the veneer on the baltic birch ply horribly.  I used my roller stand to support the sled, and was able to safely cross cut the back down to the exact size I needed.  All I can say is, I wish I hadn’t waited so long to make one! The rest of the time I spent in the shop today was sanding the back.

All-in-all, I am happy with the progress I made, in fact a little surprised I am already this far a long.  I was hoping for the first glue-up this weekend, but managed to get that done the first day.  Most likely I will work on the door boxes next, but I am considering work on the plane till portion next.

Cradle Project (formerly the mystery project), Turnings, and Tool Gloat

Published on by Mike  (Leave a comment)

I know it has been a little while since I made a post here, but that is simply because I have been busy in the shop!  It is a long post, but reflects what has been going on the past couple months.

First thing, is I finished what I previously referred to as the mystery project, which is a cradle for my wife’s cousin and her new daughter. When I decided to build this project, I had very little time to complete it, but I figured that would add to the challenge of completing an already challenging project.  I love a good challenge!  🙂  I started out drawing a design using Sketch Up.  After making a few slight revisions, and worked my way through some design challenges, I got started.  My plan was to make the frames of the panels out of maple, with cherry inserts.  I started out making the parts for the two end panels, both of which were the same.  The frames are being assembled with haunched tenons, which create a very strong joint.  The two side boards (the stiles I supposed you could call them) are also be where the side panels attach to the end panels.  After dry fitting the end panels, I went on to make the two side panels, including the tabs that will help fit the side panels to the end panels.  After fitting all the parts together for the side panels, I went ahead and did the glue ups for them.    Once the glue was dry, I was able to mark on the stiles for the end panels precisely where the tabs of the side panels will meet.  I then proceeded to cut out the tabs before the glue-up of the end panels, and made sure I had a decent rough fit, with enough material left to further tweak for final assembly.  Before gluing up the end panels, I went to the band saw and cut out some of the more intricate curves on the runners, but left the larger curves for after assembly.  This allowed me plenty of flat clamping space so I could achieve good solid joints.

After the glue dried, I cleanup the glue lines, and then put an extension table on my band saw.  This allowed me plenty of table space to cut the curves for the runner, and to make a nice profile across the top.  From there, I cleaned up all the glue joints, lots of sanding, and putting round-overs where round overs where needed.  This did involve some time with rasps and other hand tools to make the round overs look right on the inside corners.

 

This brings us to final assembly.  This involved a LOT of dry fittings, and a LOT of tweaking of all the pieces.  I kept doing this until I achieved as square a fit as possible.  My awesome wife also helped me with a lot of these dry fittings as it proved to be very difficult to put together with out a helper.  She also helped me with the final glue up.  Once glued up, I flush cut and sanded all eight tabs, the sanded all the joints smooth.  From there did the final sanding, working my way up to 220 grit.

With the cradle now ready for finish, I took advantage of the heat wave were having and applied two coats of boiled linseed oil.  The high heat helps the oil to dry and cure fairly quickly.  I let the second coat of oil sit for several days to give it a chance to cure and off gas.  This brings me back to a point I made earlier in the post, and a lesson learned.  The lesson being, just because you pull a board off of the maple shelf from hardwood supplier, does NOT mean it is maple.  Now, up until the point of finishing, the color of all boards where pretty close (as shown in the pictures)  Imagine my surprise as the oil brought out the color of the wood (which is why I like using oils) that some of the boards were not at all maple, but were in fact cherry!  Thankfully I already had cherry elements in the project, and where the boards ended up worked very well, and added a lot of character to the overall project, and I really liked the look of it.

After the oil was dry and cured, I applied man coats of shellac, with sanding between each coat.  After the shellac was dried, I made the bottom panel and put a couple coats of shellac on that as well.  From there my wife took care of getting the mattress, sheet, and bumpers for it to make it comfortable for the baby.

Today we delivered the cradle to my wife’s cousin, and her new daughter appears to be very comfy in the cradle!

After completing the cradle, I cleaned up the shop and sharpened all my chisels and planes.  I also decided that I would get started on turning some Christmas gifts so that I would have plenty of time to get them done.  Someone I think I will be making them last minute again this year.

Finally, I do have a bit of a tool gloat!  🙂  If you recall in the shop tour video I did back in January, I showed my bench top jointer and basically said it was a POS.  Well it has finally been replaced!  I ordered a freestanding jointer from Grizzly and had them deliver it to me.  Due to the weight (240lbs!) it was shipped freight.  It was a pretty awesome feeling seeing the UPS Semi Truck pull up to the house to drop that thing off!  It took me a couple evenings to put it together and tune it up, but from the test runs I have taken on it, this is definitely light years ahead of what I had before.

 

Table Saw Woes

Published on by Mike  (Leave a comment)

Damaged Pulley

I have made some pretty good progress on the mystery project since my last post, however it was not without some difficulty, largely with my table saw.  Last weekend was a long weekend for Memorial Day.  I also took a 1/2 day off from work that Friday.  I got through most of what I planned on finishing that Friday, when the belt on the Table Saw shredded.  That stopped me for that evening, but the next day I got a new belt for the saw, and was back working.  Saturday I didn’t get too much done as we went to a family event.  Sunday and Monday I made a lot more progress and was getting close to being able to glue up the first two panels, when I noticed the table saw was literally jumping around when starting and stopping it, and was making a lot of noise.  Started looking things over when I realized the pulley on the arbor split!  Between figuring out how to get the pulley off and getting a new ordered and delivered, I was down till yesterday (Friday).  Last night I got the new pulley on the saw, made sure everything was lined up, did a few other checks, and squared everything up again.  At this point, the saw is running great, better then ever.  I will keep my fingers crossed that it stays this way!