Author: andyjporter

Dovetail joint?

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No woodworking class this week.  but me and my mate did a bit of woodworking, and we made this dovetail (?) joint

wood joint, possibly dovetail

Dovetail joint?

Not supposed to be perfect, just a first attempt on a old bit of wood.  A practice before doing anything to the painters bench or other projects.

After lots self congratulation, we left it overnight for the glue to set.  Then today my friend says – do you think there is anything wrong with this?

Well what do you think?

Drawing ovals and other things without maths

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a better demo of how to draw an oval or as they call it – Construct an ellipse with string and pins.  Would have saved me writing this 🙂

more Geometric Constructions – or “how to draw stuff without a tape measure and protractor” ->
http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/constructions.html
http://www.mathopenref.com/constcircumcenter.html

useful demos on those pages on making common angles like 45 degrees, 30 and 60 degrees, how to make a hexagon, how to make a line parallel to the one you’ve got.

I remember my maths teacher at school teaching us these, but I’d forgotten all about them…   right, off to find a compass and ruler to practice them.

The painters bench and other peoples work

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I’ve started the painters bench. I bought some wood in the week, but it wasn’t the same size as the plan.

Couldn’t get wood 12″ wide, or 1″ thick. Got wood 200mm wide (about 8″). which i reckon will be ok for my bum – or will encourage me to not sit down on the job too long.

The bench in the plan was also 3foot long – which i drew out on the workbench and i thought it looked a little too big. So i’m making the seat 700mm long and 200mm wide. I’ve cut the legs to length (350mm) and the stretchers.

Thats all i got done, except…

  • I learnt how to be a good workshop helper. When someone is cutting a long piece of wood, you can hold up the end.
  • some pythagoras – how to make a right angled triangle (a square) – especially good for big projects – like laying decking.  Make a 3, 4, 5, triangle (3feet, 3 metres, 3 whatever)

had a few chats – people are making cool stuff

here’s a couple of them…

Half square joint cross and picture frame with mitred half joint.

Half-Joint-CrossPictureFrame

Painters Bench and other plans

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Am going to make a painters bench.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/woodworking/projects/build-a-painting-bench/view-all

and here’s some other ideas

http://makezine.com/2014/01/01/diresta-pallettoolbox/
http://makezine.com/projects/plywood-coffee-table/  (i don’t like the dark stain, might try this plain ply)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Woodworking-Projects-for-Beginners/
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/icandothat
http://www.pinterest.com/cabincutie/wood-project-ideas/
http://www.bobvila.com/articles/16471-5-easy-woodworking-projects-for-beginners/

Woodworking tips 1

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Just started a woodworking class.

  • get some basic tools – rule, set square, tenon saw (more teeth per inch = finer cut), marking gauge, chisel
  • a bench hook is great – and you can make one
  • measure twice, cut once
  • take your time, let the tool do the work
  • mark the wood you are going to remove, and cut on the waste side of the line you’ve marked – you can always take more off, but you cant put it back.
  • a saw can make a mess of your fingers – treat it like a big sharp chefs knife – keep your fingers away from the blade: tenon sawing
    more tenon sawing
  • rub a candle (never oil) on the side of the saw if it squeaks and sticks in the wood.