Greene & Greene Inspired End Table

[Eric.]

Then it's dull.  Or you're not hitting it hard enough.  Or something.  Because many a not-that-smart guy has used those things successfully.

[Elroy Skimms]

Just now, Eric. said:

Then it's dull.  Or you're not hitting it hard enough.  Or something.  Because many a not-that-smart guy has used those things successfully.

This not-that-smart guy is failing I did buy the sharpening cones, so I can try that on my next set. I'll also switch to the steel hammer per Darrell Peart and see if that makes a difference.

-E

[Elroy Skimms]

3 minutes ago, Mike. said:

I haven't used one of those, but the hole looks small relative to the size of your mortise.  Its look likes you could go up a 1/64" or maybe even 1/32" on your drill bit.  That way the chisel is mostly just clearing the corners and a tiny bit of the wall.  

I had the same thought as well. The punch is specifically sized for a 29/64" bit, which is what I used. Anything larger won't fit inside the punch. However, I could use a 15/32" with my drill press to make a wider hole and try again. That was going to be my plan for the next set, until Eric told me to man-up and hit it harder.

-E

[gee-dub]

3 hours ago, Elroy Skimms said:

In the end, I was able to use the corners of the punch as registration marks and clean it out with a 1/2" chisel. So the punch was helpful in that regard, but it really didn't turn out as advertised.

The punches are designed to create a mortise for pegs not through holes.  I do quite a bit of this.  I did a how-to on this but, it really shows nothing more than Darrell or Marc's how-to's.  I use a bradpoint bit to locate he position, slip the punch over it, take out the bit and tap the punch to fix the position.  I then use a twist bit to excavate, smack the punch, excavate, smack the punch and excavate.  This gets me to my usual depth of 1/4" or so with things coming out nice and clean.  You can see the smacker I use in the link.  Prior to that I used a regular hammer but, I started mushrooming my punches so I switched to the hefty but, wood faced hammer.

[wtnhighlander]

This should do the trick:

http://www.hammersource.com/Brass_Hammers/1lb_Brass_Hammer_1_face_14_hickory_handle/

And won't mushroom the punch.

[gee-dub]

9 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

This should do the trick:

http://www.hammersource.com/Brass_Hammers/1lb_Brass_Hammer_1_face_14_hickory_handle/

And won't mushroom the punch.

Not arguing against, just reporting results .  This may become a sacrificial (or similar purposed) hammer.  I put a few ring-shaped dents in my brass hammer I wish I would not have as that face is no longer good for whacking chisels. 

This is what led me to the replaceable wooden face hammer.  As long as the hammer is softer than the punch, you're good but, in these scenarios the hammer eventually loses.  "Eventually" is probably "years" though. .

In defense of the brass hammer I had a brass rod that I used for at least 3 years to knock bearings out of press fit fixtures.  When the end you become hopelessly 'shroomed I would just cut it off and carry on.

[Elroy Skimms]

I've made some changes and saw much better results. One of the biggest problems is that I was cutting the mortises very close to the edge of the work piece. This is a recipe for disaster. On my second set, I knocked out the mortises BEFORE cutting the tenons, this left me more than an inch away from the edge. This allowed me to not only be more aggressive with the hammer, but also to switch to steel. Over time, the punch will mushroom, but for now, there is a bevel on the inside edge that should keep things in check for this project. I'll look into a brass or replaceable wood faced hammer later.

Another issue I think is that I am using the 1/2" punch. It's the largest one they make. Compared to the 1/4" punch, the surface area is 4x larger, which means my feeble hammer wacks need to be harder to drive the 1/2" punch the same distance. I can see how the smaller punches would be easier and less likely to blow out the end of the board.

As gee-dub said, this isn't designed for through holes, so I picked up some ebony for plugs. I'll use mortise & tenons to join the parts and then ebony plugs on the other side of the holes. I had some compressed fibers on one of the mortises that unfortunately won't be hidden by the ebony plug. I'll put this side to the back of the piece, assuming I don't screw up any more, I should be fine.

Progress! Also, Triton's import office happens to be about 20 minutes from my work. So I will be driving over today to pick up the parts for my router instead of waiting all week for something to be shipped. That worked out rather well.

-E

[gee-dub]

Looking good.  This can help prevent splitting or blowout. Crushed fibers generally point to the clean-out hole not being sufficient.  I use a piece of tape on the bit to mark my desired full depth. I then use the bit a few times during the whacking steps to clear the spoil.  Unfortunately I have not found a drill stop that will fit the "in between" sizes of the bits used for this operation. 

The angle on the chisel at the apex of the arch where your crushing occurred is pretty severe.  There has to be somewhere for the material to go or it just compresses and tears.

Like anything we do, the more we do it the more comfortable it becomes.  I have certainly been guilty a few times of trying something new or even fairly new to me and expecting it to go perfectly.  I think these events are the built-in balance mechanism for my usual expectations of disaster 

[Elroy Skimms]

More progress over the weekend. This table needs to be complete by Friday evening. I had hoped to add some stain to get the "aged" look of Cherry, but looking at what I have left to do, I don't think I have enough time to apply stain and wait 24 hours. This will probably get a clear finish and then let the cherry age itself naturally.

That said, it's coming along well enough. I gave most of the edges a 1/8" radius at the router table. I sanded through the grits: 100, 180, and 240 with the ROUS and then finished up with 320 by hand. When I was finished, everything felt unbelievably smooth. I dread sanding, especially hand sanding (sensory issues), but I can't argue with the results. My last project I skipped a grit or two and it really showed in the finished product.

Some sub assemblies have been glued up, and here is a dry-fit of the frame:

Yes, that's a 5'x10' CNC table in the background being used as storage for all sorts of crap. Yes, that's a chair sitting on top of the CNC table. Don't judge me.

Overall, I'm happy with improvements in my abilities. The legs and support pieces went together really nicely. I made some mistakes during stock prep for the small cross-bars so those don't join up as snug as I was hoping for. Live and learn I guess.

I had some book-matched panels cut from a piece of 8/4 cherry for the tabletop and shelf. After sitting in the shop for a couple of weeks, one of each pair picked up a nasty curve. I opted to join the 2 remaining panels for what will be the tabletop and will make some new panels for the shelf. The glue-up on the shelf will set me back a day. I punished the curved panels by cutting them into cauls for the glue-up. When I am finished, they will all be burned except one, to serve as a reminder for future panels.

Tonight I will finish up the over-sized box joints for the drawer, prep the top panel for breadboard ends, and glue up new shelf panels. Wednesday will be finishing the breadboard ends for the top and shaping the bottom shelf. Thursday will be finishing what I miss and applying the clear finish.

-E

[gee-dub]

Moving right along.  What's the rush?  An extra day or two could result in a whole different appreciation for your efforts so far.  the cherry will age beautifully all by itself but, I hate to see someone rush the last 10% of something they've put so much time and effort into.  Just food for thought.

[Elroy Skimms]

4 minutes ago, gee-dub said:

Moving right along.  What's the rush?  An extra day or two could result in a whole different appreciation for your efforts so far.  the cherry will age beautifully all by itself but, I hate to see someone rush the last 10% of something they've put so much time and effort into.  Just food for thought.

Our neighborhood is hosting an "Arts & Crafts" show and submissions are due Friday evening. I've had this design sitting in SketchUp for a long time. This show was the deadline that motivated me to actually do something with it. If I'm happy with the design, but unhappy with the color, I should have enough cherry left over to make a matching pair for my house. If I am unhappy with the design, well, then I have firewood.

-E

[Eric.]

2 minutes ago, Elroy Skimms said:

If I'm happy with the design, but unhappy with the color

Unhappy with the color?  You know what cherry looks like, right?  And you realize that you cannot improve upon Mother Nature's work, right?  Why would you stain cherry?

A few years from now when that cherry is deep red and rich, you'll thank yourself for not smearing a bunch of crap all over it that only obscures its beauty.  Let the wood be the wood.

 

 

Don't stain cherry.

 

[prov163]

That's looking good Elroy.  I thought it was a gee-dub build as he is the resident G&G expert - that's how he became "Gee" Dub.  I love the look of G&G just haven't had the courage to try it yet.  Maybe next year

[gee-dub]

1 hour ago, Elroy Skimms said:

but unhappy with the color,

What Eric said ;-)

Mom loved her photographs; at 90 she was used to holding the pictures.  I made her a couple of picture boxes that she kept near her favorite chair.  A year later she outgrew them and I made two more.  Here's an example of cherry naturally aging under a clear dewaxed shellac finish; one of the old and one just made:

 

[pkinneb]

3 hours ago, gee-dub said:

What Eric said ;-)

Mom loved her photographs; at 90 she was used to holding the pictures.  I made her a couple of picture boxes that she kept near her favorite chair.  A year later she outgrew them and I made two more.  Here's an example of cherry naturally aging under a clear dewaxed shellac finish; one of the old and one just made:

 

Wow what a difference!

[Elroy Skimms]

I only get a couple of hours in the shop on weeknights, and the kids wanted to go for a walk and catch some Pokémon, so that took me out for almost an hour. Panel glue-up on the new shelf boards went great, but apparently my router fence wasn't aligned right on the box joints. I've got extra stock milled up, but it's too late to fire up the table saw and router again tonight. One small oops and I have to wait 24 hours before I can correct it.

I might have to leave the office early to get this wrapped up on time.

-E

[wtnhighlander]

I might have to leave the office early to get this wrapped up on time.

-E

Any excuse is a good excuse ...

[Coop]

On August 10, 2016 at 11:00 AM, wdwerker said:

Oh I fully understand the design problems of balancing esthetics and functionality . The final result has to fit into the prescribed space and accommodate the nessacary items while looking snazzy and containing features that are within your ability to execute ! 

Its a tall order that forces compromise .

Can I use any part of this in the future as my own without giving myself away by quoting you??

[wdwerker]

Made that up off the top of my head ! Take all the credit you want.

[Coop]

There has to have been an influence? But don't bitch and demand a royalty, as I will use it often?

[wdwerker]

I absorb bits and pieces and occasionally they re arrange themselves into something that resembles a response to a question.

[Immortan D]

 

10 hours ago, wdwerker said:

I absorb bits and pieces and occasionally they re arrange themselves into something that resembles a response to a question.

I knew it. Steve is an AI

[RichardA]

23 minutes ago, Immortan D said:

 

I knew it. Steve is an AI

You won't find many that are better!  Just don't let the power source run down!  He likes home grown veggies!

[Elroy Skimms]

I'm having a devil of a time with the ebony plugs. I did a trial run yesterday morning to make sure I had a process that worked well, and the first few turned out great. I came home from work last night and jumped back into it and instead of making plugs I was making ebony bullets and launching them from my tablesaw. I'm kicking myself for not getting my crosscut sled finished as that would be perfect for this. I'll swing by my friends garage this afternoon and cut the plugs on his sled. Here's the piece sans-plugs and sans-finish.

I started applying ARS on everything last night. Overall, I'm pleased with how this is turning out. There are plenty of issues that I can improve on and a few glaring rookie mistakes as well. Like the one where I cut through the biscuit on the tsuba shelf.

At around 11PM last night I adopted a new method for determining which mistakes I would try and fix and which ones I would ignore. If it was worse than cutting through the biscuit, I fixed it. If it wasn't as bad as cutting through the biscuit, I would have to let it be to meet the deadline.

I did have to skip the breadboard ends on the tabletop for now due to time constraints. But that can be added later if I decide to go that route.

-E

[drzaius]

2 hours ago, Elroy Skimms said:

Like the one where I cut through the biscuit on the tsuba shelf.

 

I did that very same thing on a cradle I made before our 1st grandchild was born (14 years ago???). I chiseled out a mortise & glued in a piece with matching grain. Even I have to look real hard to find it.

But I've since quit using biscuits for gluing up real wood. They are actually more work & don't align things nearly as well as just being careful & using clamps & cauls if needed. They're great for sheet goods though.