Woodworking

[sprintcyclist]

Will start on a new workbench soon

This one



https://australianwoodsmith.com.au/coll ... s/issue-89

[sprintcyclist]

Did an isometric drawing of what I have currently have and how the new one will fit there.
That was important for me. If I can 'see it' and draw it, I can make it.

Right, so here is where theory meets reality.
I love this phrase 'In theory, Theory and reality are the same.
In reality, they aren't ....'


So, googled the available current timber. What is available is not what is in the plans.
It is an old magazine and industry standards have changed.
That's ok, I can make minor changes to suit what is available.

Went to the local timber shop to see what they have in stock.
The size plywood for the top will not fit in the stationwagon.
I can use a free trailer.
The size plywood for the top is not available anyway.
There is not practicable alternative.
There IS a Clear Pine 'glulam' Laminated Panel. New technology.

OK, in time, will get a free trailer, buy a glulam panel, the long bits of wood to make the legs, braces, upper and lower rails.

The pine panels expand and contract with the climate changes. A LOT.
Across the width, not along the length so much
Point is, you cannot glue or screw the table top to the base!
Have to allow the top to 'breathe' else it will warp or distort the base.

I never knew that.
Use table top Z clips or the like

[youtube]https://youtu.be/lPm9RZ2DrpY[/youtube]

[sprintcyclist]

Got the benchtop delivered, arrissed it, did 3 coats of linseed oil on it. Looks lovely, very warm coloured
Working out the wood required for the frame is hard for me.
I'm not used to working in 3D, had to do my own drawings to scale. Take measurements off that.
Weird little things have cropped up, the floor is not level. Some legs have to be longer than others to make the table level.
Made sure I can mount the vice.
Will put extra legs on it for more strength.



oohh, look at these.

Hanger bolts, for mounting my vice under the bench

[sprintcyclist]

This is SO good to obsess over. What a bargain.

So I decided to put 2 extra legs in the middle of the table to give extra support. We do this sort of thing at work, it makes a huge difference. The top won't bow.
Levelled up the new top while it was resting on the old warped kitchen table/workbench.
Measured down from the top to the ground in all 6 places as the concrete floor has a step in it and may not be perfectly level.
In theory, could expect 2 legs at one height, 4 at another.
In practice, got 2 legs at one height, 2 at another height, 1 at a 3rd height and 1 at a 4th height !!!!
Enough of a difference that I would have been putting bits of ply under a few legs to stabilise it.

Phew, that would have been disappointing

[sprintcyclist]

A hard part is 'marrying' the plans with what timber is available and how to transport it here.
Bunnings cut timber to length and I only have a sedan.
I took ALL my measurements of the frame needed to bunnings got 4 lengths of 3.6M and 4.8M structural timber and got them to cut it ALL to my lengths required. I had a big list and checked every one after he cut it.
Idea being it'ld fit in my car and when I got home I'ld only have to oil and 'assemble' it all. IF my measurements were correct.
Phew, they were. Got 20 pieces of wood all cut to the right length.


Working with wood is very therapeutic

[sprintcyclist]

Had a bit of a rest after that big job.

A smaller but very complex job has arisen.
Some wood on a handrail has rotted. It is on a corner so 3 pieces that connect together have all rotted.
I cannot buy handrails the same width and thickness. Will use a treated pine sleeper instead but have to make that the correct size to match the existing handrails.

Have been practising my pocket hole screws and will use those to join the non rotted parts. No joints will be visible and it will be strong.

For my circular saw made a jig so I can reduce a wooden sleeper down to the right width and length. That worked well.
It gives me straight square cuts. To within 1 mm of that I want. Made it a bit wide on purpose.

For the router made a sled and sled table so I can make the sleeper the right thickness.
That was a job. Works ok and am fine tuning it as I go.
Once I have the sleeper the right thickness it should be not too hard to replace the old one.

Now I can make wood the thickness and width I want to a good accuracy, it enables other things in the future.
I can be more creative.

[Baronvonrort]

Did an isometric drawing of what I have currently have and how the new one will fit there.
That was important for me. If I can 'see it' and draw it, I can make it.

OK, in time, will get a free trailer, buy a glulam panel, the long bits of wood to make the legs, braces, upper and lower rails.

The pine panels expand and contract with the climate changes. A LOT.
Across the width, not along the length so much
Point is, you cannot glue or screw the table top to the base!
Have to allow the top to 'breathe' else it will warp or distort the base.

I never knew that.
Use table top Z clips or the like

I have a tech drawing board it's great i can draw something then have it there to check details without having to turn computer on for CAD. I have a small off grid cabin undergoing design process at the moment. Adrian Newey who designs the Rec Bull F1 cars still uses old fashioned drawing board he prefers it to CAD. When designs are finalised then do it in CAD so you can make it with CNC.

You can make your own panels by edge gluing timber strips clamp them together if you need more strength then use dowels in between strips.

All unsealed timber will expand and contract with humidity as moisture content in wood changes this is why windows and doors get tight after raining for a few days. If the timber is sealed with epoxy, paint etc (not oil) it keeps moisture content stable and stops expansion and contraction. I would seal it with west system epoxy then you can screw and glue top to base and if kept out of sun it will last longer than any of us.

Here are plans for a very light canoe the epoxy coated balsa give it a nice honey colour. You could do it with cedar if you prefer darker colour it will be a bit heavier.
https://www.storerboatplans.com/faq-inf ... lbs-5-5kg/

[Baronvonrort]

Here is a free download of the best book on wood boatbuilding. It cost around $50 when i bought it over 30 years ago.

https://www.westsystem.com/wp-content/u ... 1205-1.pdf

[sprintcyclist]

Did an isometric drawing of what I have currently have and how the new one will fit there.
That was important for me. If I can 'see it' and draw it, I can make it.

OK, in time, will get a free trailer, buy a glulam panel, the long bits of wood to make the legs, braces, upper and lower rails.

The pine panels expand and contract with the climate changes. A LOT.
Across the width, not along the length so much
Point is, you cannot glue or screw the table top to the base!
Have to allow the top to 'breathe' else it will warp or distort the base.

I never knew that.
Use table top Z clips or the like

I have a tech drawing board it's great i can draw something then have it there to check details without having to turn computer on for CAD. I have a small off grid cabin undergoing design process at the moment. Adrian Newey who designs the Rec Bull F1 cars still uses old fashioned drawing board he prefers it to CAD. When designs are finalised then do it in CAD so you can make it with CNC.

You can make your own panels by edge gluing timber strips clamp them together if you need more strength then use dowels in between strips.

All unsealed timber will expand and contract with humidity as moisture content in wood changes this is why windows and doors get tight after raining for a few days. If the timber is sealed with epoxy, paint etc (not oil) it keeps moisture content stable and stops expansion and contraction. I would seal it with west system epoxy then you can screw and glue top to base and if kept out of sun it will last longer than any of us.

Here are plans for a very light canoe the epoxy coated balsa give it a nice honey colour. You could do it with cedar if you prefer darker colour it will be a bit heavier.
https://www.storerboatplans.com/faq-inf ... lbs-5-5kg/

The canoe is amazing

[sprintcyclist]

I'm really enjoying my Battery Makita tools.
Any other named brand would be quite comparable I imagine.

Everytime I use any of my Makita corral it is a pleasure.
The garden tools they offer make them a more versatile brand than many.