§ by Joel Hess on January 24th, 2008
You can sharpen your woodworking skills with helpful tips and techniques from the editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines. Get a FREE tip sent to your email address each week! Go to WoodworkingTips.com and sign up today.
Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:
I never seem to have enough storage space in my shop. This is especially the case when it comes to screws, fasteners, and other odds and ends. Things I need close at hand, but don’t use every day.
So, to store these and other small items, I built a pull-out storage case, like you see in the photo at right. The case is large enough to hold a couple of small plastic storage cabinets with lots of drawers (the kind you find at hardware stores and home centers). I also added a few shelves to store other items.
Since I wanted to be able to move the case, I placed it on wheels (see drawing at right). A handle attached to the side lets me simply pull it out to get to the items and then push it back out of the way again.
The case fit nicely against the wall next to my workbench. It worked so well that I built a couple more cases and rolled them next to one another. Now I have lots of storage in a space that would have gone to waste.
Good woodworking,
Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes
© August Home Publishing Company
2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312
Click here if you’d like to subscribe to ShopNotes magazine.
2 Comments.
Filed under ShopNotes Magazine, Storage, WoodNet.net, WoodworkingTips.com.
§ by Joel Hess on January 14th, 2008
Great looking projects don’t just happen — they’re made. It takes a lot of time and effort to come up with the best looking lumber to create a project that really stands out.
Dennis starts the seminar by discussing the differences between “hardwood” lumber and the stuff you’ll find on the racks at the lumber yard. Then he talks about board footage, grades, surfacing, moisture content, and finally, how to choose the best parts from a board for a particular project.
During the seminar, Dennis keeps reaching for a tape measure. The one he used is available at the Woodsmith Podcast Store, along with a few other items he uses to make selecting lumber easier.
2 Comments.
Filed under Podcast.
§ by Joel Hess on January 10th, 2008
At least a half dozen times, I’ve experienced serious kickback while using my table saw. Not once during any of those times though did I feel that I was doing something that was inherently dangerous. I almost always use my guards and push blocks. I take my time to set up my saw for safe, accurate cuts. I’ve even been known to step back and question whether there is a better way to complete an operation that I’m not 100% comfortable with.
And still, I’ve experienced situations that could have resulted in bodily injury.
Once I was knocked on my keester when a workpiece I was ripping pinched the blade and got kicked back into my stomach. (I broke two cardinal woodworking safety rules during that particular procedure.) I don’t remember now what caused the kickback. But I’ll never forget how lucky I was not to have been injured more seriously. (Or the pain to my gut!) But none of us are perfect. Accidents happen and all you can do is hope they don’t happen to you. Right?
That’s why I was surprised while watching a recent segment of TOH, as a trim carpenter made a free-hand cut on the table saw. Frankly, I watched in disbelief as he made the cut and thought to myself, “Man, that just looks dangerous!” Norm Abram was standing there watching and I thought maybe he would say something, but he didn’t. I figured there would be a lot of people commenting about the segment on our woodworking forums. And there is a debate raging over at WoodNet. But, you may be surprised to learn that there are a lot of people defending the practice.
Several people have commented that the practice of pushing a piece freehand past a spinning table saw blade is an acceptable practice by professional trim carpenters. It may be. And the guy managed to make the cut during the show without any problem. But I can tell you one thing….I’m never going to try it.
What’s your response?
5 Comments.
Filed under Home Improvement, Norm Abram, Power Tools, Shop Safety, Table Saw, This Old House, Woodnet Forum.
§ by Joel Hess on January 9th, 2008
Okay, you’ve seen your share of sharpening jigs. And they all seem to work pretty good. Well, I guarantee you’ve never seen anything quite like this before: The Sharpening Box. (At least I never have!)
Last night, I watched Gary Blum, a cabinetmaker and toolmaker from Walnut, IA., demonstrate the jig and I have to say, I was impressed. You can read more about the jig at Gary’s website: Blum Tool Co.
According to information on the site, “…the jig consists of a box made of UHMW plastic that is both a honing surface and a storage box for the stones. It has an adjustable angle block which is set in relation to the top honing surface.”
A couple of features that make it unique:
- The angle for honing is set directly from a scale and is easily changed
- The tool has no jig attached to it
- The tool stays set and the stone is moved - a much easier motion
- The stone can be used laterally and in a circular motion as well as back and forth - therefore, the flatness of the stone is not as critical as a back and forth motion, and the edge can be made sharper and longer lasting
- Much shorter and narrower stones can be used very effectively
- The tool references on its back, which is the widest and flattest side
- Can hone angled edges as easily as straight
- Can sharpen very short cutters as well as short cutter with handles, such as butt chisels or Japanese chisels
- Self-contained and portable-stones store inside of box
- Can sharpen scraper blades at a true 90 degree angle very easily and repeatedly - “filing” is done with a diamond stone
- Jig is entirely waterproof for water-stone sharpening
By the way, Gary also makes some pretty cool hand planes as well.
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Filed under Hand Planes, Hand Tools, Sharpening.
§ by Joel Hess on January 3rd, 2008
Winter & Spring Woodworking Seminar Schedule (all seminars start at 6:30pm):
Jan 17…Building Drawers Using Drawer Joint Bits w/ Phil Huber
Jan 24 …Three Hand Planes Every Shop Should Have w/ Randy Maxey
Jan 31 …A Simple Shop-Made Jig for Cutting Tenons w/ Carol Beronich
Feb 7 …Table aw Set Up & Maintenance w/ Vince Ancona
Feb 14 …3 New Innovations in Joinery w/ Joel Hess
Feb 21 …12 Must-Have Finishing Supplies w/ Dennis Perkins
Feb 28 …5 Surprising Woodworking Techniques You Didn’t Know About w/ Doug Hicks
Mar 6 …Sharpening Basics: Man vs. Machine w/ Randy Maxey
Mar 13 …3 Fast Joints — All in One Hour w/ Ted Kralicek
Mar 20 …Scroll Saw Tips & Techniques w/ Linda Anderson
Mar 27 …Two Methods for Perfect Box Joints w/ Bryan Nelson
Apr 3 …Case Construction: Routing Rabbets, Dadoes & Grooves w/ Chris Fitch
Apr 10 …Mortise & Tenon — Two Variations for Making Doors w/ Dennis Perkins
Apr 17 …Hand Rubbing a Perfect Finish w/ Doug Hicks
Apr 24 …Building a Bookshelf: From Start to Finish, Part 1 w/ Phil Huber
May 1 …Building a Bookshelf: From Start to Finish, Part 2 w/ Phil Huber
Get the full schedule of upcoming seminars and descriptions at WoodworkingSeminars.com
The seminars start on January 17th and run through May 1st. Cost per seminar is $8, but the price includes a $5 $awbuck$ coupon good for any item in the Woodsmith Store (excluding seminar tickets and season tickets).
2 Comments.
Filed under Woodsmith Store, WoodworkingSeminars.com.
