The Project that threw me on Avoidance Behaviour

[Bobby Slack]

I designed this office built in a couple of years ago. The drawers need to be changed but used ugly 3/4" pre-finished cheap plywood to make them work and they do. Joinery ... screws. I will replace them in time.

The biggest issue was to build my alder countertop. I drove Marc, Sannon and Matt crazy asking what kind of wood should I use, should I use Walnut, what?

Well ... I have a lot of Alder.

Next issue was to build the top as a door so the wood can move and allow for expansion and contraction. The big area of the countertop would be like the center panel of a five piece door. OK agreed.

Now I froze ... FROZE when it came time to build the pieces with the reverse rabbet to hold the center panels down and finally today I came up with a method.

I machined the rabbets with my table saw and the groove to place the center panel with a router bit on my Festool OF 2000 which is permanently attached with a plexiglass attachment.

Here are some pictures.

The rabbets were fine tunned with my Lie-Nielsen medium shoulder plane. I love this plane!

[Guest Mahoganus]

Very nice, so cool when a plan comes together and actually works. Nice router,, seems like everyone has Festool

[Bobby Slack]

Thanks, I just bought that old OF2000 to keep on my Festool plexiglass template from Festool. A bunch of us own Festool because they are amazing, the tool and the service is worth every penny.

This project is the one which pushed me to learn about Greene and Greene.

Very nice, so cool when a plan comes together and actually works. Nice router,, seems like everyone has Festool

[Guest Mahoganus]

Thanks, I just bought that old OF2000 to keep on my Festool plexiglass template from Festool. A bunch of us own Festool because they are amazing, the tool and the service is worth every penny.

This project is the one which pushed me to learn about Greene and Greene.

Yup Im hooked on Festool too,, I want there sanders at the moment, I cant imagine sanding dustless.

[Bobby Slack]

Good decision. When you get the sander, get the biggest vacuum also, I think now the model is the 36, I have two 33's. With these sanders you can also get the re-usable bags and with enough saw dust you pay for the bags and the vacuums. On the sanders I started doing more finishing with hand planes for solid wood and mixing with the Festool sanders you will get amazing results.

I own four of the sanders.

When I purchased my Rotex I went 5" and would recommend the 6". I am stuck now with my decision.

Yup Im hooked on Festool too,, I want there sanders at the moment, I cant imagine sanding dustless.

[PaulMarcel]

When I purchased my Rotex I went 5" and would recommend the 6". I am stuck now with my decision.

I initially bought the RO-125 then long time later scored the RO-150 off eBay. I still have them both and still prefer the 125 by far. Sure, the 150 has double the surface area, but it isn't as well balanced as the 125. I don't usually (I hope!) need the aggressive stock removal of the 150 (for that, get the RAS-115). Biggest thing to consider is whether or not you are getting an ETS as well since you'll want to stick with the same size (125 vs 150) so you don't have do double-up on abrasives.

One I really like and isn't very expensive (in a Festool kinda way) is the DTS-400 with the delta pad. Thing is amazing for rails/stiles, very light-weight, fairly aggressive. There's an RTS-400 that is the same but with a rectangular pad. In my case, the eBay score was a DTS and I use it a lot; I'd say more than the Rotex actually. If you get one, turn down the vacuum; too high a suction makes it work less efficiently.

[Bobby Slack]

Paul, I considered that one but I ended up with the Deltex DX93E so I can use it on tight corners.

On the other sanders, I ended up with two rotex 125 and one ets125. Once I went with the 5" I stuck with it because of the sandpaper, I can use my sandpaper with any rotex.

Thanks for the heads up on the 150, I doubt I will get one and your comment was great for others when they consider investing in one.

I initially bought the RO-125 then long time later scored the RO-150 off eBay. I still have them both and still prefer the 125 by far. Sure, the 150 has double the surface area, but it isn't as well balanced as the 125. I don't usually (I hope!) need the aggressive stock removal of the 150 (for that, get the RAS-115). Biggest thing to consider is whether or not you are getting an ETS as well since you'll want to stick with the same size (125 vs 150) so you don't have do double-up on abrasives.

One I really like and isn't very expensive (in a Festool kinda way) is the DTS-400 with the delta pad. Thing is amazing for rails/stiles, very light-weight, fairly aggressive. There's an RTS-400 that is the same but with a rectangular pad. In my case, the eBay score was a DTS and I use it a lot; I'd say more than the Rotex actually. If you get one, turn down the vacuum; too high a suction makes it work less efficiently.

[PaulMarcel]

Actually the comment was for others since you already have yours Sometimes the consumables are forgotten.

Maybe I wasn't too clear, but the DTS is nice because you can use it in a corner and on the flats; it easily has enough flat surface for rail/stile work. Not so much for the DX without balance issues and add to it that it's more aggressive.

[Bobby Slack]

You are correct. Darn ... more Festools? lol

I reeeeeeaaaaaaallllly considered the DTS to clean rabbets on doors and decided to get the DTX.

I like using the DTS for tabletops.

Actually the comment was for others since you already have yours Sometimes the consumables are forgotten.

Maybe I wasn't too clear, but the DTS is nice because you can use it in a corner and on the flats; it easily has enough flat surface for rail/stile work. Not so much for the DX without balance issues and add to it that it's more aggressive.

[Guest Mahoganus]

Nice , I have the CT 26 E Dust Collector, ,and from what you guys are saying I need the dts 400 and the RO 125 or 150. I hope to purchase them soon.

[PaulMarcel]

Well, as you can see, I like the DTS-400. It is relatively inexpensive, too, lightweight, gets into corners, etc. I actually don't use my Rotex nearly as much as before. I do use the RS2E a lot. Wonderful for large flat surfaces and even relatively wide rails/stiles. It isn't the first one you'd consider, I know, but I find that I pull that out much more than the Rotex. Actually, thinking back, my last 3 projects to my memory were only done with the RS2E and DTS-400. The Rotex didn't come out. Doesn't mean it isn't a great dual-purpose sander, but just that with these others around, I use them more specifically.

If you get the Rotex-150, I'd recommend the optional handle. It is more comfortable to use (IMHO) and your grip is now front and back of the pad vs using the "angle grinder" arm. This lets you keep the pad flat more easily. Also, invest in the hard pad; you'll get better and faster results. The LS-130 sounds like a great idea, but I find that it isn't aggressive enough; I end up with the DTS instead.

[Bobby Slack]

Making Firewood.

[BillN]

I have two questions:

1) What's the remote for?

2) Why is there a handicapped parking sign in your workshop? It looks wayyy too crowded to park a handicap van in there. ;>

[Bobby Slack]

That was funny right there

The remote is for my Garmin Streetpilot GPS

The handicap is a joke from one of my neighbors. In May 2009 I was working on my deck at my cabin in Colorado and because of being lazy and working fast I fell on my hip on top of my joists (20' high).

I had a hairline fracture on my hip ... and there is the sign.

This sign was placed in my front yard, very funny.

The reason my neighbor Steve did that to me is because three years ago I did it to him when he had hip surgery.

This is a moving sign. I almost got it out of my garage and on the front yard of somebody else this summer but was a false alarm. I have for somebody else to get injred.

I have two questions:

1) What's the remote for?

2) Why is there a handicapped parking sign in your workshop? It looks wayyy too crowded to park a handicap van in there. ;>

[Bobby Slack]

This project is teaching me about proportions and looking ahead. Working without plans created so many headaches. At the end of the project it will look great.

This is the built in from ...

[BillN]

That was funny right there

The remote is for my Garmin Streetpilot GPS

The handicap is a joke from one of my neighbors. In May 2009 I was working on my deck at my cabin in Colorado and because of being lazy and working fast I fell on my hip on top of my joists (20' high).

I had a hairline fracture on my hip ... and there is the sign.

This sign was placed in my front yard, very funny.

The reason my neighbor Steve did that to me is because three years ago I did it to him when he had hip surgery.

This is a moving sign. I almost got it out of my garage and on the front yard of somebody else this summer but was a false alarm. I have for somebody else to get injred.

I love it! I'm getting to the age where that will be an issue for my group as well. I'll have to find one somewhere.

[Bobby Slack]

You don't want to know how we got this ...

I love it! I'm getting to the age where that will be an issue for my group as well. I'll have to find one somewhere.

[Bobby Slack]

When I began my office built in I started reading the blog at Design Matters and also wood movement took me to Greene and Greene. Each step forward presented more alternatives and more questions in regards to design, choices and skills. In a way, shame on me for not planning ahead and making drawings, another part of me tells me that I am glad I took this project and worked really hard at making this a coherent and solid design.

May be when I finish on this one I will work on something similar for my basement which will be a wine cellar and storage since woodworking machinery and lumber invaded my garage.

Why not take a project where you learn the Socratic way and experiment

[Bobby Slack]

Here is some of the progress. What to do next. I will domino the back of the big pieces (three big ones) and for practical purposes I will call them the floating piece. I will domino those pieces to the back of the case so everything stays in plane. I will make the holes bigger to allow for wood movement. I will also domino these pieces to my rabbeted stiles (long grain) with the wider setting, again to keep things in place and allow for wood movement.

After all this is again perfectly dry fitted, I will disassemble this counter, take it to the shop, re joint it, smooth it, scrape it, random orbit sander and will stain the pieces individually as they are apart. This concept was inspired by Marc Spagnuolo in his chest video series (that video got me hooked on unplugged tools to fine tune my joinery).

The stiles will be screwed up to the plywood substrate and I will cover the screws, as Sam Maloof and the Greene/Hall team did with plugs.

Finish. I was going to leave the alder natural but I don't want to take the risk of my glue up pieces to show difference in colors because I paid no attention to match them ... shame on me.

Option 1. use a dark stain like an espresso color, issue ... the plugs are not going to stand out. Possible solution, finish the plugs in the same stain as the rest of the case. Use plugs in the rest of the built in with the espresso color. I wonder if that is too much confrontation ...ideas??? Marc? Shannon? Matt??? everybody else???

Option 2. Use the same stain and use the plugs as the rest of the piece and then use the plugs in espresso.

Note ... I used 3/4" edge banding lined up with dominos and will be screwed in and plugged. I may or may not use glue, dominos plus screws should be enough.

I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hey Higschoolwoodworker, if you read this, just like you I wanted to use a solid wood tabletop, even though Alder is a softwood, it will wear well over time.

And finishing, I just might kiss the whole thing with my Lie-Nielsen Scrub plane http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=40_5 so when things get dinged up it will not be so obvious ...

[Bobby Slack]

That's a clamp mate! I invested in these clamps on December '08. I used them four times, they are heavy and take a lot of room. Why did I buy them? at the end of '08 Bessey was dumping product and since Marc Spagnuolo said you can never have enough clamps I went "all in".

[Bobby Slack]

Got my countertop in place, dominoed the floating panels to the back of the case and to the stiles and rails (stiles are the sides and rails will be the edge banding). Now I am ready to flatten all pieces together.

Yesterday I was thinking of giving the bottom one last kiss with my planers and then realized that by doing this, I will change the relationship of the bottom of the countertop with my dominos in the back of the case, so instead, I will sand them just to take the stain. Yes I will stain the bottom to balance the finish. Whatever I do on one side, I do on the other ... and eliminate future problems.

[Bobby Slack]

This is the latest update.

[Ben@FineWoodworking]

I didn't see any of your wood working in those picture. Just guitar parts. What are you hiding up there? Looked Martin(ish).

Seriously... it is looking great. Thanks for documenting the project so well.

[Bobby Slack]

Good Eye. That is a Martin (I own three, a twelve string, a Golden Era and a cutaway that can be plugged in when I play with my drummer friend). Documenting the slow progress forces me to move forward. A way of getting this project done.

Seriously now ... desktop area I am building it like a flat door where the centre panel will be loose. I have a few concerns.

1. If I tighten the joints, the door will be trapped and not have room to move.

2. Since the panel is loose, the joints are not perfect so I will bevel them a little bit to "use" this imperfection.

3. The grain of the wood is too busy and going in all kinds of directions so I will finish this desktop on a dark finish so will quiet down the grain.

All these adjustments are to cover mistakes.

This was really tough for me but as Paul-Marcel said to somebody else, you have to push yourself beyond what your capabilities and incorporate new skills.

I didn't see any of your wood working in those picture. Just guitar parts. What are you hiding up there? Looked Martin(ish).

Seriously... it is looking great. Thanks for documenting the project so well.

[Bobby Slack]

Slowly moving forward. Today I felt good because I did a fairly good job at a patch up. You are good when you can fix mistakes and nobody can see them. Not quite there yet, but today I did a much better job than in the past.