Sideboard for the Dining Room

[gee-dub]

Thanks @Coop.  At this point in a build I start to measure off the piece rather than off the plans. 

As promised I am moving 'all ahead slow' with the gimpy wrist.  I thought I would get one side panel done today . . . at least right off the machines with all the joinery completed anyway . . . nope.  Got this far though

I'm going to knock off for today. 

[treeslayer]

I just gotta say I learn so much on this forum, amazed at this build !

[Chestnut]

15 hours ago, gee-dub said:

I now use the smallest diameter slot cutter I have

What slot cutter is that I like the small diameter. I have a couple others with larger diameters and hate the chisel work they take. That said the chisel work is still preferable to using a small strait bit. I'm getting tinnitus just thinking about cutting grooves with a strait bit again.

[gee-dub]

On 3/28/2023 at 6:31 AM, Chestnut said:

What slot cutter is that I like the small diameter. I have a couple others with larger diameters and hate the chisel work they take. That said the chisel work is still preferable to using a small strait bit. I'm getting tinnitus just thinking about cutting grooves with a strait bit again.

Once upon a time Woodcraft sold "Woodcraft" branded router bits with the forest green paint.  These were about on a par with Rockler, CMT and others.  At some point they moved away from this practice and had a $5 bit sale.  Ten bits for $50!?!  I bought . . . a few.  Since they cost less than shipping to get them sharpened I often just toss them when they are done. 

This bit from Lee Valley might be an alternative.  I have the 1/8" high version of it that I use for box making with good success for the same reasons, it minimizes the corner cleanout.  Depending on our age we may have grown up when you could go back 6 years later (as an example) and expected to find the same item available.  I learned a while back that once we moved away from that model that if I find something that is a consumable that I like and will want again I better buy my own stock .  Sorry the source on the one shown has dried up. Hope this helps.

 

[gee-dub]

I had really hoped to be farther along by the time I ran out of steam today . . . oh well.  Good thing I'm retired and this is for my own home.

So I have to do this again for the other side panels.

Whenever I free hand route . . . or power sand for that matter, I turn on the ambient cleaner and PPE-up.

Someone asked for a littel clarification on this process so here we go.  Once the free hand template routing yields the cloud-lift rabbet you use that edge as a guide.

Sorry about the great photographic skills . . . The template collar is sized along with the bit to provide the offset you want.  In my case it is 1/4".

The bit must be set high enough to cut through the waste material.

The template-rabbeted edge mentioned earlier rides the bushing, the bit cuts the spoil at the 1/4" offset I have chosen.

Once that is done I cut the panels to final length.

I use an FTG grind 50 T blade that I have to rabbet the straight sides of the panels.  You could do this at the router table, with a dado head, or a hand plane for that matter.

BTW, I boogered an edge on one of the panels and had to do a repair.  I glued a thin piece of scrap to the edge and re-machined it off.

I wet the area to try to better show the repair.

I had hoped to have the side panels full-on complete and finish ready today but it was not in the cards.  Once all the panels were machined, planed, scraped and sanded I dry fit them into the frames to help me feel like I accomplished . . . something

Curse you oh gimpy wrist!

Could be worse.  Could be my right.

 

 

[gee-dub]

I clamp dry fit assemblies for profiling.

This is easier than doing a lot of setup for stopped profiles on internal corners.

I use a similar technique to slot for small box bottoms.
I gang parts for machining when I can. This includes power sanding.

Side note. Those of you who have dowel plates know how handy they can be. I have saved way more than the cost of this Domino plate by making my own Domino stock over the years.

I make the stock with the closest imperial round over bit and then pound that stock through the plate to make Domino stock that fits perfectly.
I am happy with how the 1/8" round over has hidden the veneer joint on the legs.

I made this doo-hicky for the disc sander long ago. I use it for all sorts of things.

Here I add a clamp as a stop.

This let's me quickly and reliably chamfer the bottoms of the legs.

It is painful doing this glue up in so many small sub-assemblies but, the gimpy wrist is the rule of the day right now ;-)

[gee-dub]

I am going to take advantage of the natural arc in the figure on this board for the front upper and lower stretchers.

I joint the face and edge and then rip the lower stretcher off.

Now the upper.

This gives me a nice continuous grain match.

When I make pieces for others I avoid pin knots and pitch pockets.  This is for my house and I don't mind them.  In fact I think they add character.

Ah, spring clamps. How did we live without them ;-)

There is only one long cloud lift on this piece so I will just cut it free hand on the bandsaw as opposed to making a template.

I use the spindle sander to dress the S-curve and the 2" or so leading into and out of it. The rest I will fair by hand.

A piece of scrap and the Jaw Stand (or whatever version you have) makes a good support for this long thin piece. This allows me to focus on the 4" or so I really care about right now.

I shave from the ends toward the middle.

Here's a half that has been shaved . . .

. . . versus the half I have yet to do.

Hope to get through this before I knock off for the day.

[gee-dub]

I realized I was going to need some 70-odd inch clamping capacity. Normally face frame clamps can handle long parts

but the offset in this case makes that a no-go. I grabbed some scrap and made some K-Body connectors.

Doing layout for large parts is easy enough using very accurate measurements. I've gotten lazy in my old age and tend to just lay things out on the bench.

The tenon position is not critical but it is critical that they align between the mating parts. One larger tenon would do in most cases. There are no stiles on the front "frame" of this design so I went with a pair of smaller tenons. No science here; it just makes me feel better .

As I often do I use setup blocks for the marking. I use a brass block for the 1/2" set back and a 1-2-3 block for the tenon spacing on the upper stretcher.

I use the brass blocks again for the lower but just mark off a double square.

The cool thing is that this initial layout on one piece becomes my story stick for the other parts.

I have to run get some pig feed. More later.

[Tpt life]

Neat trick. 

[Tom King]

Enjoying the build again!!

Order some of these, starting with the lightest resistance ones (yellow??? don't remember).  Once your wrist lets you start doing anything, these are a big help.  I don't remember how I hurt a wrist several years ago, but ended up with all of the different ones of these.

Start with the lightest resistance, and if you don't think it was worth it, I'll pay for it, I feel that strongly enough to guarantee it.

Once you can handle the stiffest ones, go to a wrist roller.  I made one many years ago with a piece of 1-1/2" dowel with a hold drilled in the middle to tie to a barbell weight.  Roll the weight up, and back down to build a grip than can crush Walnuts like George Washington did.

https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Strength-Resistance-Tendinitis/dp/B00067E4YU/ref=asc_df_B00067E4YU/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198080784939&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12692790313433695376&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009786&hvtargid=pla-350280801728&th=1

[gee-dub]

On 4/2/2023 at 12:11 PM, Tom King said:

Enjoying the build again!!

Order some of these,

Thanks Tom!  I have one.  This is also not my first rodeo with tennis elbow, shoulder impingement etc.  Apparently my brain thinks I am 6'2" and 225lbs.  The reality is I am 5'10" and 170 .  The result being that I have pushed a bit too hard a few times.  Not proud of it.  I know better.  Time and PT are the healer for these injuries.  I am a patient man . . . . unless I want to do something and can't

[Chestnut]

22 hours ago, gee-dub said:

but the offset in this case makes that a no-go. I grabbed some scrap and made some K-Body connectors.

I don't know why we don't see this more often it's a great way to extend clamps. I boxed mine to help eliminate the floppiness that happens when 1 end is open. It also gives some bearing surface so the bar doesn't dent the work piece. I know you can stick in a spacer but one less thing to juggle during a large glue up helps imo.

[gee-dub]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:18 AM, Chestnut said:

I don't know why we don't see this more often it's a great way to extend clamps. I boxed mine to help eliminate the floppiness that happens when 1 end is open. It also gives some bearing surface so the bar doesn't dent the work piece. I know you can stick in a spacer but one less thing to juggle during a large glue up helps imo.

Thanks Drew.  I noticed the sloppiness and figured it would be a problem and I would have to do something about it.  Boxing in the 'joiner' sound like the way to go.

[gee-dub]

The rear frame will be maple as will the T&G slats that fill it. I dry fit the parts to do my layout.

I will rabbet the back of each frame section to accept the slats. These will be pinned into the rabbets from behind as opposed to set in grooves. Just something I've been wanting to try .  The L fence helps with the rabbets of the stiles at the tablesaw.

The stretcher rabbets are stopped at each stile so I do those at the router table. I then have to square the rounded corners that the router bit leaves. I must confess that since these do not show I was pretty rough about it .

Here again I gang the parts to cut the mortises.

My tablesaw outfeed is normally my assembly table. I have some more tablesaw work to do so the workbench does duty as an assembly table.

Yet another use for a handscrew . . . vertical support .

And your typical clamp porcupine.

There is a lot of internal structure to build out. At this stage I will confirm my drawing dimensions off the actual piece. To do this I dry fit the sub-assemblies.

Time to start on the dividers for the drawer compartments.

[Coop]

Are the Fox face frame clamps you posted on Sunday, the ones used in your last post? 

[gee-dub]

On 4/4/2023 at 6:16 PM, Coop said:

Are the Fox face frame clamps you posted on Sunday, the ones used in your last post? 

They are the same type but I believe mine are Harbor Freight.  I don't see them listed on their site anymore though.  HF is kinda like the 99cent store; they don't always carry the same stuff .  Most of the time they sit in a plastic bin on a shelf.  I have both styles and when that sort of clamping comes along they are great to have.

[gee-dub]

As you can see above I have long, unsupported stretchers between the ends right now. I want to confirm measurements and fit off of the piece so I need to stabilize this very open frame. I am probably not the only woodworker who scrounges usable material. I got a few particleboard panels somewhere along the line that were being thrown out. This sort of material is great for stuff like what follows.

The Match Fit sled really saves the day while I am gimpy-wristed. I cut slots in the ends of some properly sized pieces of the free PB and insert splines.

The splines keep the spacers from falling through since I am sort of one handed right now and can't hang on to them. This setup keeps things properly spaced and square.

I managed to get the panels cut out.

I cut spline grooves in the drawer spacers.

Same for two of the panels with the help of a tall fence.

I cut spline slots in the back frame with an 1/8" spiral and a Colt plunge.

Unexpectedly accurate rip cut on the spline material

This give you an idea of the spline-alignment-assistant.

Ever onward . . .

[Von]

On 4/5/2023 at 3:25 PM, gee-dub said:

The Match Fit sled really saves the day while I am gimpy-wristed. 

I've been a t-track fan but am looking hard at Match Fit for jigs like you show - where I want lots of flexibility in a large surface. Any lessons learned? TIA.

[gee-dub]

On 4/5/2023 at 4:48 PM, Von said:

I've been a t-track fan but am looking hard at Match Fit for jigs like you show - where I want lots of flexibility in a large surface. Any lessons learned? TIA.

PM sent.

[curlyoak]

On 3/24/2023 at 10:45 PM, gee-dub said:

There is a thread on the shop build a couple years ago here although it can be a bit of a haul and its not required reading

The outcome of your shop build would make any woodworker jealous. For anybody considering building a shop, this is required reading! Far better than a book or magazine. In the process valid questions and comments are offered with exceptional pictures. This thread is a gift to anyone involved with the pleasure of woodworking. And gee-dub you keep bringing your ideas and sage advice. And fortunately gee-dub will currently answer any question you may have.

I have suffered many injuries. I would suggest to take a weekly accounting of your wrists. Serious injuries do not improve minute by minute or day by day. Looking daily may cause depression. And is information that has no benefit. A weekly assessment will give you accurate info on how you are really doing. Best of luck!

 

 

[gee-dub]

The vertical drawer dividers are only 1" wide. I want to use the Mortise Pal to float a 1/2" tenon in these at the connecting points top and bottom. Lo and behold I don't have a template for that . . . easy enough to make.



Test the fit on a piece of scrap.

This gives me a joint like so . . .

But wait! I became enamored with the figure in this piece of material and tried to make vertical dividers out of it.

Love the figure but there is no way I am going to get a color match and I do not want to start a color matching project in the middle of this build. I go back to the blank I cut the upper and lower stretcher from and take new vertical dividers from that stock.

This boo-boo has derailed my project plan so I look around for things that I can do while the glue dries betwixt spline and divider. I am using plywood panels for end pieces and drawer area dividers. To seat the end panels I need to square off the routed rabbets in the end panel/leg sub assemblies so I may as well do that while glue is drying.

The panel sets flush.

I will do the other end and by then I should be able to continue on as planned.

[gee-dub]

I've reached a phase where you work all day and it looks like nothing happened . I glued up the front frame.

I over-looked or over-glued one joint and was disappointed to find this.

I tried to channel Toni and carve my way out of it. I think I can work with this.

I was mentally struggling on how to process the glue up of the front and back frame subassemblies to each other. I realized I could use pocket hole screws as clamps instead of actual clamps for the divider panels.

This let me do the glue up on the bench. The side panels are dry fit with tenons in place. My primary focus here is true and square for the internal structure, front, and rear frames.

Like I said. All that work and you can't see a thing.

[Mark J]

Looks like progress to me.

[gee-dub]

My buddy who helped me build the shop is down for a visit.  I put him to work processing drawer box blanks.

The vertical dividers are in and the end panels are on. 

The carcass is effectively complete except for some internal structural elements.

The upper and lower vertical items are anchored via some strips of plywood.  The lower one is for divider panel lateral strength.  The upper ones tie the long stretchers to the dividers and end panels. 

The result is a nice solid structure so I am really pleased with that.

[wtnhighlander]

Looking great, gee-dub!