I have a super power and that is I turn wood into things. My college education was to become an industrial arts teacher which I did for four years and then used and increased my knowledge in woodworking as a hobby . Have knowledge of how to set up small shops and how to get started what hand and power tools are needed. . Love to make sawdust and my favorite thing to do is wood turning on a lathe.
Woodworking
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eastisbest
Well-known member
Found about a ten foot log washed up. Beautifully burled. Carmel colors on bleached white wood. Hauled it a quarter mile to the parking lot then home hanging out the back of my mini-car. Debated on whether to slice it or cut it length wise. So it has sat in the garage for 7 years because I can't make a decision and I don't have a saw, nor do woodwork.
I think I would find a small saw mill and have them saw the wood for me. They can probably tell you what you have and if it is worth getting milled. Some of the old wood is like having gold.
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gneiss rocks
Well-known member
I use the heck out of my biscuit jointers and sometimes do top and bottom 20's for bigger joints, do you have a domino cutter? If so, is it worth it, is it that much better than double 20's. I love my festool stuff but having trouble justifying $1200 for a domino.
eastisbest
Well-known member
Maybe I'll look into that idea, there's one place sells teaks, cabinet woods that might do it. I'm thinking it's best use would be venering though. Not sure a mill could do that.
Lot's of black walnut trees in the park near to me. It's all wild. What falls off, I think about grabbing. Hard wood though.
EagleGuy
Well-known member
I cut down a cedar tree some years ago, thinking I could make something out of it, for example, tables. Would it be worth taking it to the sawmill?
Warning: don't cut down a cedar tree in the Spring if you don't want a horrific allergic reaction. Never again.
eastisbest
Well-known member
A high school buddy's father, a father figure to me, did that when a cedar in the yard was getting old. Been using the wood over decades to make heirloom chests for the kids and the grandkids as they hit an age. Does some nice in-lay and routering work on them. Scenes of significance and hidden compartments to hide money he wants to give to the grandkids without the kids knowing. He hand-shakes notes to the GKs on how to find it. He also makes these stupid puzzles so he can chuckle as we get frustrated until some ten year old takes it away and pieces it together in a couple seconds. I'm pretty sure it's a conspiracy.
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I do not have a domino cutter, do have a biscuit jointer. Have been reading more and more that with quality of glues that are available today biscuits are not needed. Like you cost is the big point to my not having a domino cutter.
gneiss rocks
Well-known member
Biscuits are great for alignment along with micro pins makes a nice easy joint...IMO no glue could come close on endgrain or butt joint...basically a small easy mortise and tenon.
I have in larger power tools old craftsman ( when they were really a good tool) Sawstop table saw ( my wife insisted I get one) I have some Rikon and some Jet. I have really soured on Rikon wanted to upgrade my Rikon Dust Collector took over a year to get the canister filter to replace the bag. Have really been leaning toward Jet tools seem to be good quality at a fair price. My belt - disc sander is Jet and my lathe is a Jet and really like both. That is not I have all but you get the idea.
gneiss rocks
Well-known member
Don't ever use tape on surface of your material (laminate ect.) with your Sawstop, it will act as a conductor if your fingers are 2" away... then you get to buy a new blade and honeycomb spring thing, also you might piss yourself from the bang.
Battery tools are all much better than they were a few years ago, pick your most used tools and see reviews, then chose that system . Some manufactures might make the best Miter saw but their jigsaw sucks? ect... the problem is the batteries are so expensive you want to stay with one brand. Warranties are great on some when you use the crap out of them for 4 years and they hand you a brand new one it hurts less when you purchase the next one. Also consider looking into yard tools on same batteries, that same $1000 or so worth of batteries can keep you running in the shop all day and yard all night.
For larger tools and plug in I also like some of the older heavy stuff but some of the features on new stuff can not be beat, I like my Festool stuff but it is pricy and others are catching up. I have a 2 bag Reliant vac which is fine, but getting the dust with smaller tools at contact, the Festool system is very good.
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Never saw treated wood without turning the safety brake feature off. That is all you have to do when you cut with tape too. What I do in my wood shop is for pleasure and a hobby I find I can not justify paying the price for a a Rolls-Royce when a Buick will do just fine. From what the wood tells me it can not tell a difference either. I have found cheaper tools with a sharp blade will do just great. Sharp tools and blades are the answer to so many faults and short comings.
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gneiss rocks
Well-known member
A good sharp blade is almost always the answer but I have used blades backwards a few times intentionally and it worked great for siding in cold weather and a couple other things.
I have done that several times when cutting plastics.
Not really a professional craftsman, but I do build cabinets, counter tops, install shiplap and porch railing.
I inherited a well maintained woodshop full of saws, drill presses, routers, bandsaws and even a high quality radial arm saw. I would run away from old equipment in most cases with the exception of drills, and possibly a table saw. Grandpa was an avid woodworker and had four fingers and two thumbs still attached when he died. Not all woodworking is without risk.
I inherited a well maintained woodshop full of saws, drill presses, routers, bandsaws and even a high quality radial arm saw. I would run away from old equipment in most cases with the exception of drills, and possibly a table saw. Grandpa was an avid woodworker and had four fingers and two thumbs still attached when he died. Not all woodworking is without risk.
I have been using power tools for wood working since I was in my teens and I still have all eight fingers and two thumbs . I will admit one thumb is shaped different that original. Kick back can get you no matter how careful you are. I guess my wife thinks my fingers and thumbs are important and after my mishap she insisted I do away with the old table saw and get a Saw Stop.
Many years ago I remodeled our enclosed back porch. In do so I built a couple of corner cabinets and painted them. I now have decided that we could use a few more cabinets and decided I could live with the cheap unfinished box store kind. Now the problem when I finished the cabinets I built I used a oil base eggshell paint. Now we come to today's real world. Can't buy the brand of paint I used. Can't buy oil paint in gallons in Ohio. The paint store I went to did a great job in matching the colors but the finish is just not the same. Why can't we buy oil paint in gals. when you can south of Mason-Dixon line?
EagleGuy
Well-known member
My neighbor just finished installing a privacy fence around his entire backyard. One thing I noticed is he didn't "step down" any panels; rather, he kept the top of the panels level (enough) without using a plumbline. His back yard slants down (back to front) slightly. It apparently - to me - was not his first rodeo. Because he did not step it down, there are noticable gaps at the bottom. Good for drainage, bad for small dogs? Ditches. Hmmm...
I helped my BIL install our privacy fence many years ago and we did not use concrete for the fence posts. For years, the clay soil seemed to work well, but I have had to do some shoring up recently.** One day, I will have that fence taken down (the lattice tops are a pain to keep mended) and replaced with a plain, dog-ear fence like my neighbor did. BTW, we used a post hole digger back then. Today, I would consider renting an auger.
** Over the years, water has rotted the posts, something that concrete helps prevent - as I now know.
Happy fencing!
I have been making sawdust the last few days making a wedding present and am almost finished A 9 inch walnut bowl with a lid which makes it a box. Two wine glasses with walnut stems and bases. only scraped one and had to remake. Wine bottle stopper with a turned top. Hope they enjoy for many years.
EagleGuy
Well-known member
Considering woodworking as a hobby if/when I retire. What are good first tools, in your opinion? Is there a "five-in-one" tool/station? Or, four...
Besides the normal hand tools sanders drills jig saw and the like I would consider getting:
1. Power miter saw with sliding action
2. Band saw. I have a 14 inch , you could live with a 10 or 12 inch model
3. Track saw - this will replace the table saw for most cutting needs.
Using the above you would not believe what can be made with out the table saw. As far as the "five in one" tools like a Shop Smith I do not recommend you will find your self spending much of you time tearing down and putting on the tools only to do it again and again.
1. Power miter saw with sliding action
2. Band saw. I have a 14 inch , you could live with a 10 or 12 inch model
3. Track saw - this will replace the table saw for most cutting needs.
Using the above you would not believe what can be made with out the table saw. As far as the "five in one" tools like a Shop Smith I do not recommend you will find your self spending much of you time tearing down and putting on the tools only to do it again and again.
Router? I find a good router adds so much to the "professional" appearance. Dangerous if you go too cheap or try to router the wrong direction, but a fixed bench router is amazing if you have the space.
Totally agree on the sliding miter saw, use that as number one tool in the shop.
I don't own a sliding miter saw as much as I want one I have borrowed my son's on occasion. I have an old craftsman non sliding made of cast iron and it will just not wear out. Keep looking for an excuse to buy one. How about the brake to slow down shutdown of blade is wearing out, is that a good enough excuse.
I still have a fixed miter as well (Delta). It is difficult moving on from tools we have used for 25 years or more. I would tell you your old Craftsman will be so much happier with a buddy. Saws have a pack mentality.