TerryMcK Posted October 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Now I just have a big pile of parts to glue up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hell of a nice job Terry, and just adding that white oak takes a blood stain rather horribly, and it's a pain to sand out. Can't wait for the final show! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Thanks Richard - fortunately the chisel cut was not that deep and I managed to bandaid and glove it before it started bleeding - another great reason for having the first aid kit in the shop. The glue up is in several parts as I decided to produce sub-assemblies to avoid the inevitable panic mode on multipart glueups that happen when glue starts to set up. I'm doing this over the next couple of days so watch this space. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Heck of a build Terry....coming along nicely..."corner mortise chisel"......hmm.... I do not have one of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Heck of a build Terry....coming along nicely..."corner mortise chisel"......hmm.... I do not have one of these. Yes Tim a LN 3/8" one. Very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted October 9, 2014 Report Share Posted October 9, 2014 Looking great Terry. Always leave a little blood in your work. No better signature! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Glue up - several pairs of gloves were used in this sequence (none of them were harmed). The glue up is a multi stage procedure: Top rail, mid rail and mullions sub assembly Lower rail, stiles to the previous sub assembly making the carcase assembly Vertical boards to gate carcase assembly Diagonal supports. The reason for approaching the glue up in this way is to stop panic when the glue is drying. The mullions were generously coated with epoxy glue as were their corresponding mortises in the top and mid rails. They were inserted and the side stiles were attached without glue and everything squared up and clamped. The stiles only maintain the position of each tenon relative to each other while the glue cures. After leaving overnight to cure the stiles were removed and the first sub-assembly was complete. I knew that old Black and Decker Workmate would come in handy! The next evening and there was a little squeeze out to clean up. As a bench chisel will not now fit in I used a chisel plane. Chisel plane - you never know when you'll need one. Paring the glue with a bench chisel. Glueing the carcase. Then the panic sets in when you have to coat tenons with glue and poke glue into the mortise's. All the time you are aware of the glue setting up but with West Systems Epoxy you still have plenty of working time. After all the tenons were inserted, the clamps added, the piece checked for squareness, also checked to make sure the parts are round the correct way, then the wedges are coated with glue and inserted. Insert them both in both tapping equally with a hammer until they both are solid. Repeat on all other tenons. In the meantime glue is dripping out from all orifices - don't worry about it you can clean it up tomorrow (or leave it in globular form on the floor!) The important thing is that all the joints are fully coated adding to its longtime water resistance. Clamps on and wedges inserted. Wedges in The next job after curing will be cutting off any excess and cleaning up the excessive squeeze-out. Then the boards and diagonal supports can be cut to length and glued in. Again a job for the weekend to fit in with the latest honey do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Looks like one very solid gate! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 A very well thought out project! Your methodology is very professional, the photography is exact, your description is flawless, and the wine trip was priceless! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Terry, Another great session. This thing is looking BA! An idea for a new tv series, You and Marc doing a build off, kind of like the cooking shows, but something for guys to watch. Maybe have Mr. Schwarz and Mr. Abrams & Mr. Underhill as judges 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 Looking great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minorhero Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 Your garden gate is amazing. I am incredibly jealous of your joinery skills, it all looks incredibly clean. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 This project journal is certainly worth the price of admission. Can't wait to see it all done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Just had a thought. After cutting the wedges flush and sanding you could coat the end grain exposed sections with epoxy to seal it up before finishing. Every time I have done repair work on exterior woodwork like your gate, moisture and end grain were where the finish failed first. Boatworks has mentioned a process to finish over epoxy and protect from UV. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Great idea Steve. I had already coated the bottom of the stiles and the bottom of the vertical boards with epoxy but hadn't thought about the ends of the tenons which as you say is probably the main place that will fail. While I'm at it the only other end grain exposed is the top of the stiles. Once I've done the round over on that I'll do them too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I was kind wanting to comment on the exposed end grain but you said you were epoxying it so I figured it was going to be sealed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I've just come in from the shop and all exposed end grain is coated with epoxy now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 This is looking really good, nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I like the smell of epoxy in the morning. After the glue had cured the pieces of wood that were protruding from the mortises were cut off. Then using a combination of flush trim saw, various block panes and that DIY tool that never gets used in fine woodworking, the Black and Decker belt sander (!), the joints were all sanded flush. It really is the right tool for the job and I bought it many years ago to sand a table with it ending up on the shelf ever since. I have a new found fondness for a power tool. Using a Japanese ryoba saw to saw off excess A flush trim saw was hard work on this tough oak - maybe it's best left for use on dowels! My Stanley 130 block plane really is superb. Tip - if you see one of these on eBay then buy it! Joint finished off with a Black and Decker belt sander - really! A great tool for this type of job. Exposed tenon end will be sealed with epoxy (see later) Now the length of the vertical boards could be established by measuring the distance from the bottom of each stile to the inside of the slot machined into the underside of the mid rail. As it happened both measurements were exactly the same. I transferred this measurement to my cross-cut sled length gauge, just a thin off-cut of mahogany with a tee piece glued at one end. The gauge is positioned on the sled fence and clamped with a couple of F clamps. Then each vertical board was cut to the same length using the tee piece as a stop. I inserted each piece dry into place and then the last piece to go in had its width and rabbets modified to suit the space left. I always try to make allowance for discrepancies by leaving a little to trim off. Cross cut sled with length gauge clamped in position. Dry fitting the vertical boards The vertical boards were then put into place. The end grain on the top of each board was coated with a little epoxy and the lower cross member has some glue to hold the boards in place. This will still give some allowance for movement across grain. The boards are not glued in the tongue and grooves and can move freely. The top of each board has a stainless steel 18G brad toe-nailed into the mid rail to aid free movement of the boards. The stiles have clearance in the grooves to allow around 3/16" of lateral expansion and the shoulder of each of the end boards has corresponding clearance. In the photo above you can see some 3/16" spacers just inserted for positioning the boards during the glue-up. The glue-up was left overnight to setup and the next day the diagonal braces were cut to final length. There was enough room to get the biscuit jointer in place and two biscuit slots per joint was made. The diagonals were then glued into place with more epoxy glue. Using clamping cauls while the epoxy cures Diagonal braces glued into place, blue tape attached for masking and end grain sealed with epoxy. The 28 pound stage weights are great when you can't get a clamp in position. Fellow forum member WDWerker Steve Duncan www.steveduncan.com reminded me of sealing the end grain of any exposed joints. I had already thought about the bottom of the gate but had forgotten about the exposed ends of each of the tenons - they were done too - thanks Steve. The only other end grain exposed is the decorative curves on the tops of each stile. This will be done when final sanding and round overs are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Nice weights! I have used scuba lead weights and even concrete cap blocks on occasion. Clamping those deep reach areas isn't easy and extra deep clamps are quite expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 That B&D workmate is getting plenty of use. Terry, this gate is going to be way too cool to expose to the elements, epoxy or not!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 That B&D workmate is getting plenty of use. Terry, this gate is going to be way too cool to expose to the elements, epoxy or not!! Yes I think I may keep it in the shop and gaze at it Just ordered a litre of Epifanes spar varnish - probably too much for this gate but I can use it on other outside projects. Marc put me onto a Guild video he made back in 2009 where he tried out Epi against a two part epoxy finish. The Epi was not cheap but from all the reports I read about it say that it is fantastic. Of course we'll have to wait and see how it stands up. I was going to order Sikkens yacht varnish but they no longer make oil based marine varnish and seem to have gone over to water-borne finishes (not that I have any issue with water-borne as I use it a lot). I just thought I would try something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 +1 on the B&D workmates. Sat in the corner for long enough methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Nice weights! I have used scuba lead weights and even concrete cap blocks on occasion. Clamping those deep reach areas isn't easy and extra deep clamps are quite expensive. I have several barbell plates left over from my former hobby. I refer to them as 'gravity powered clamps'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Yep. A couple 45's have certainly been used as 'gravity clamps' in my shop, as has the squat rack become my lumber storage area. No curly maple in the squat rack (100 points if you get that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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