jimbofoxman Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 Is it too much to ask to have one decent project? Not some coasters, clipboard or simple frame. A cabinet, a dovetail cornered shelf, etc. Took a week off on a small project cause all I was doing is getting pissed. Came down, run some test pieces......all milled at the same time as the "good" pieces. Looks decent. Run the "good pieces". WTH? Went up stairs and had lunch, but really don't want to be down here. How many centuries did it take for you to produce something good. I'm this close to lighting a match and walking away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 Maybe if you posted some pictures of the problem the folks here could offer up some help. There are a number of things that can cause frustration in the shop. Tools that aren't tuned up correctly can be the most common point of frustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 I've been planning and re-planning a bonus room book shelf for two years. I have the shelves (and now know how I'll work and finish them) and more recently the side posts (not a case project.) I've almost figured out how I'll work and finish the posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 Nope, it's not too much to ask, but it comes down to you. If you're getting frustrated, figure out why an address that. I get frustrated as all hell when I make a mistake and it's usually because I'm rushing. Where's your point of irritation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 I find that if I don’t enter the shop with a clear list of what I am going to work on and complete (ensuring that those things can easily be done in the time I have), I am much more likely to rush something or do something out of order and get frustrated. If I find myself getting to that point, I pack up and leave the shop. Nothing good comes out of pushing on at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofoxman Posted January 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 Well we'll deal with the Leigh D4 another time. I'd just assume throwing that in the trash.....but I borrowed it from a buddy. Why on a test run I got tight through dovetails and then on the good pieces I had gaps, tearout (new bit) and a step on the side between say the horizontal and vertical. I could see getting in a rush and not getting it pushed against the stops. The loose fingers is perplexing. But I am done with that for now, spent way to many days testing. I'm not sold on that contraption and I'm not setup to cut them myself.........yet. Although I question if they will ever be right too. So the thing that made me not want to come down for over a week was a sliding dovetail for the middle shelf. Test run on the contrasting woods look pretty good to me (could be a touch better I suppose). But then to get the other photo........what the heck? I think the Router Table and Fence are square. Material to me was square. Did I rush, god I didn't think I did. Thought I had good pressure towards the fence and down to the table. The only difference with the test piece and the final piece was the length. Say 12" long test and 35" long final. Just frustrating that you think you got things all dialed in and then bam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylder Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 It looks to me like you adjusted the height of the bit between pieces. I cut the slot first. Do not adjust the bit at all. Then on scrap pieces (the exact thickness of the real piece) start cutting and fitting the tails. When you get the fit correct, cut the tails on the real piece. Keep making small projects, you will improve your skills and the big projects will come Good Luck DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofoxman Posted January 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Dylder said: It looks to me like you adjusted the height of the bit between pieces. I cut the slot first. Do not adjust the bit at all. Then on scrap pieces (the exact thickness of the real piece) start cutting and fitting the tails. When you get the fit correct, cut the tails on the real piece. Ok, the contrasting one was a trial run just to make sure I had the technique down. Two different setups. Here is one with the same setup and the non-contrasting one. Damn tear out.............but fortunately it is on the back side. Routed the grooves first, then went to the router table and snuck on the width. Only thing I can think of is with it being a long piece I rocked it some how. Edited January 26, 2019 by jimbofoxman added photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylder Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 On the pin board, use either something sacrificial behind it to stop the tear out or use a board wider than you need and rip it to size after cutting the tail to remove the tear out. Make sure everything is clean of dust and chips to help eliminate the rocking. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 Are your scrap and final pieces EXACTLY the same thickness? They appear to not be. It is important to try to batch your test pieces through all of the same prep steps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 5 minutes ago, Tpt life said: Are your scrap and final pieces EXACTLY the same thickness? They appear to not be. It is important to try to batch your test pieces through all of the same prep steps. Too true. Also, blanks must be well milled and true. This is particularly true when you use machined reference surfaces on jigs and so forth. And deviation is translated to the mating pieces. Not using exact test pieces is also an error folks will make when finishing. They will test the finish on some random scrap of wood that has not been surface prepared the way the keeper piece has been prepared. This sort of test piece is pretty useless. Another couple of helpers for this sort of joinery is to use a stopped sliding DT. If you don't exit, you can't blow out. For sliding DT's that you want to show, make the blanks a little extra wide and trim the show edge with a hand plane or even the tablesaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofoxman Posted January 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 28 minutes ago, Tpt life said: Are your scrap and final pieces EXACTLY the same thickness? They appear to not be. It is important to try to batch your test pieces through all of the same prep steps. Yes, I ran them at the same time. Matter of fact, it was the cut off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 2 minutes ago, jimbofoxman said: Yes, I ran them at the same time. Matter of fact, it was the cut off. That brown board got cut off a light board? Just clarifying we are talking about the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofoxman Posted January 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 3 minutes ago, Tpt life said: That brown board got cut off a light board? Just clarifying we are talking about the same thing. no, that was just a test run on procedure. Which was also processed at the same time. Shouldn't of even put that first one up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Sawdust Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 If something frustrating doesn't happen in the shop every time I go out there I figure I didn't do anything! There are always things that go well, things that are just OK and things that are "omg how am I gonna fix THAT?" Be patient, work slowly, make sure everything is the way it should be before cutting, and yeah, always test pièces or prototypes before actual execution on expensive material. You'll get there man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofoxman Posted February 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 On 1/26/2019 at 7:35 PM, Chip Sawdust said: If something frustrating doesn't happen in the shop every time I go out there I figure I didn't do anything! There are always things that go well, things that are just OK and things that are "omg how am I gonna fix THAT?" Be patient, work slowly, make sure everything is the way it should be before cutting, and yeah, always test pièces or prototypes before actual execution on expensive material. You'll get there man! I am off to buy another $65 sheet of maple ply. Because of space issues I had to cut off the end of some ply before running it. Marked, clamped down straight edge, put tape down to help tearout and proceeded to cut with factoring in the offset of the circular saw. NO PROBLEM........I can still make it work, although the grain orientation will be off on two drawers but I could save it, and most people wouldn't see it with stuff in them. Cutlist gave the new layout. Proceeded to cut and **** I messed up again. Not sure how I did it yet......but I resisted throwing things thru the wall and lightning a match. I'm going to end up with no money, no retirement and a house that cost me $500k and will only sell for $170-180k because 3/4 of the time I have to do it all over again. Told my Woodworking/Photography buddy last night I wasn't having fun anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Pretty sure we've all been there and it's tough! Sometimes it's just better to walk away for a little while and try again with fresh energy and perspective. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Yep, just step back & take a breath. When I get frustrated because of a mistake I tend to get mad, plow ahead, and make more mistakes. After you've had a suitable break, go back to it & force yourself to slow down, measure everything one more time, think through each step one more time. Even if you only go half as fast it's still better than full speed ahead & damn the mistakes. "The hurryer I go, the behinder I get". I constantly struggle with getting into this rut & feel your pain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Sawdust Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Yup been there too brother! But it's a learning process, and your mistakes tend, for the most part, to get smaller as you get better at the craft. Or is it art? Skill? A combination of the three And therein lies the difficulty. But it's also quite rewarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 I forgot to add that when I make an extra stupid mistake in the shop I like to spend a few minutes just thinking about the hows & whys of it & then come up with some better practices so that it will be less likely to happen again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Llama Posted February 14, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Being frustrated is a good thing. It means that you aren't willing to accept "good enough". 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDi Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Half of my projects start out the way you describe. slow down, take your time with each step. practice EVERTHING first, whether it's clamping, cutting, whatever. I have been there, and I swear that when you complete one task well, it gets better as you move through the project. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Before a golf game I go to the range and hit practice shots and don’t stop after I hit one good one. I continue until I’m satisfied with most of them, or give up and go to the bar for a cold one(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RichardA Posted February 14, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Is that why you have a 65 handicap? To much bar? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 When I make mistakes that need to be replaced, I set the "bad" part aside and save it for making a new or smaller version of the same thing. I still have a couple handles for boxes that I miscalculated the length. I finished the woodworking part of them and have them saved for when I make something similar to the original but just a tad smaller. Could also rework parts of the handles if necessary. I only become frustrated when the mistake creates waste. Otherwise it's a learning experience and I'm not willing to let it ruin my day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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