Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted October 3, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 They're begining to look a lot like trestles! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 NIIIIIIIICE! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 Clean simple stout sturdy trestles, I like them ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 There's not much better than KISS work. Attaboy, Ross. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 Nice work as usual Ross! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 Beef. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted October 8, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 Did some more work on the beast today. Seems like a lot of time, and all I worked on is the stretcher, and the cross-stretches to go into the trestles. This is a good illustration of how smaller, lower quality machine cost in time. Nearly 7 hours of labor, and a good 2/3 of it was using hand tools to zero in on a good fit, because the machines can't be trusted to be precise enough. Pic1, flattening the timber for the stretcher before running it through the planer. My jointer is to small to manage a piece this size. Pic2, I used my little drill press and a forstner bit to hog out the through tenon in the cross stretchers. But the reach away from the column (through depth?) wasn't enough to go all the way, so the center, and cleanup, was all done by chisel. Daaaang, my shoulders are tired now! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted October 8, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 A little more work today, and now the through tenons fit the cross stretchers. This shot roughly illustrates where they will go, once I make the M&T for them.The base is turned upside down, in case you wondered. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted October 9, 2017 Report Share Posted October 9, 2017 Looks like it is going to be a heavy beast when it is done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 After fitting the through tenons for the main stretcher, my thoughts turned to motising the ends to receive wedges. At nearlt 6.5" wide, this is no job for my stubby little bench chisels. Even if I managed to drill out much of the waste, there is just too much depth to clean up. So, I used this as an excuse to drive to Memphis, where the nearest "woodworking" supply store is located. I picked up a Robert Sorby 3/8" mortising chisel. Just wondering your opinions of the brand. They also had a Crown brand that was about $10 higher. The crown has a tang style blade, wood handle (looked lime ash), and ferrules at both ends of the grip. Bit it just felt chitzy in my hand. The Sorby has a tang/socket combo (I think), with a beefy handle that seems to be a composite material. No ferrules. Should I worry about this thing splitting apart when I start beating it with a mallet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 10, 2017 Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 I've got a Sorby corner chisel that has held up very well for me. Not a sign of any problems in at least 10 years of use. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted October 11, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 Holy cow, my worries about this chisel were completely without merit! I am amazed at how much better the different shape works for chopping mortises! I took an hour or so after work to play with my new toy, I mean tool. Being a newb to this particular task, it took me nearly an hour to chop through 6 1/2" of red oak, but the chisel was a dream to use. I polished the edge just a bit, because I like to see a mirror shine, but this pig-sticker was razor sharp out of the box. The walls need cleaning up, but I made it through! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 I've been wanting to pull the trigger, now you've convinced me! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 6 minutes ago, K Cooper said: I've been wanting to pull the trigger, now you've convinced me! Coop, this is no tool to be fumble-fingered with, if you are prone to woodworking in flip-flops (or at our age, sandals & black socks?). I'm pretty sure it would have nailed my foot to the horse mat I was standing on, had I dropped it. Murphy would ensure the edge would be down. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 Dang, that sucker have that much heft to it? Yeah, it's usually barefoot from 3/1 to 12/1 so I would have to be semi-overly cautious! Are you going to limit yours to just the 3/8"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 Wishing I had bought the 1/2", as that's what this job calls for. Settled for the 3/8 because you can chop wider, but not narrower, and 3/8 is more common to use. I enjoy hand tool work, though, so I might flesh out a set, eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 12 hours ago, wdwerker said: I've got a Sorby corner chisel that has held up very well for me. Not a sign of any problems in at least 10 years of use. Steve, I googled it but it doesn't show a profile. Is it just that, only for the corners, with a three sided cut? Probably a dumb question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 It's a 2 sided cut , 90 degrees to each other. I'm kinda disgusted to post this link. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sorby-F33310b-Corner-Chisel-3-8-Inch/48094175?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=564&adid=22222222227035627075&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=t&wl3=76257277834&wl4=pla-177254897314&wl5=1015455&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=111830532&wl11=online&wl12=48094175&wl13=&veh=sem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 I used my workbench build (many large mortices) as an excuse to get a set of mortice chisels (Narex) & they take a beating so much better than the bench chisels. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post shaneymack Posted October 11, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 On 10/10/2017 at 9:39 PM, wtnhighlander said: Ross, this is one of the creepiest and coolest photos ive ever seen on WTO ! Project looks great ! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisc Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 6 hours ago, shaneymack said: Ross, this is one of the creepiest and coolest photos ive ever seen on WTO ! Project is look great ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 I got the other end chopped out this evening. Now for the sloped sides. What do you guys think, is 1/2" over 6-1/2" about right for wedging the 'tusk'? That's about 12.7 mm over 165.1 mm for all the meter-lovers out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted November 13, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 After a long stretch of looooong, uninterrupted work days, I spent a little time this weekend, making and fitting wedges for the through-tenons of the stretcher. Wedges are mulberry. Starts out a lovely gold color, but UV exposure eventually darkens it to a mahogany-ish red. Planes wonderfully, I see why the Japanese use it so often. I may attempt to pre-age the wedges with lye, so they won't have 'tan lines' where they are covered in the mortises. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 I hope your mortise on the stretcher was long enough to push when you send the wedge through it's mortise. The mortise on the stretcher should fall a little under the leg, so the wedge has room to force the stretcher tight. Don't ask me how I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 I wonder if a trip under a sun lamp would darken that mulberry ? I can picture a woodworker in a tanning salon " it's not for me, it's for my mulberry " 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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