# Good Grief I'm An Idiot!!!



## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Hey there, Everyone:

Well, I *TRIED* to make a clothing rack similar to the one in this photo...










I _*really*_ tried...

I new it wasn't going to be an _*exact*_ copy because I needed something smaller and I didn't have the fancy bracing that they used on the sides of the legs. Nor did I have a workshop at my disposal. Nor did I apparently have much skill at my disposal, either.

I just didn't realize they were going to turn out like this...










You might notice how in an effort to save a few dollars, I used construction grade lumber instead of finished lumber for the frames, hence there is lots of "character" in the form of knots as well as warps in the beams and posts.

But wait, it gets better. I introduce to you the Miter Joint.










I think the exposed wood screw at the end really adds a certain bit of flair to the whole piece, don't you? No? Well, does it at least take away your attention from the really bad miter joint?

And no, that is NOT a bird dropping on the top front left (although I kind of wish that it were). It is where I decided to artistically fill a countersunk screw AFTER applying stain. I think by filling one screw hole BEFORE staining, one screw hole AFTER staining, and for the third screw just not countersinking or filling, it makes an artistic statement about... about... um... I'm not really sure WHAT it is making an artistic statement about... maybe that I need to do something else with my life?

Oh, and speaking of stain, I used this Minwax express stain that comes in a tube, sort of like toothpaste. You just squeeze it on, rub it around a little, and let it sit. You know it's GOT to be good because it's SO DARN CONVENIENT! :tooth: Then after a while, the wood looks like it has one of those baked-on "Tan-In-A-Can" suntans that the punks on Jersey Shore all have during the middle of January...

But enough trifling with minor details. Now, for the piece de resistance; Ladies and Gentlemen, the joints:










Some people make butt joints... I make ass joints... :thumbsup:

Thankfully, I had the good sense NOT to use glue to help hold things together, since, as you can tell, I am a stickler for details and I didn't want any possibility of glue running and mucking up my handiwork.

Now, I know what you are thinking. "But by not using glue in your joints, isn't it all wobbly and stuff?" you ask.

Well, duh. I _planned_ it that way. I wanted them to tilt over so that they would counterbalance the warped vertical posts, and thus, give the _illusion_ of being straight. 

Oh, and did you notice there is even more post-staining wood filler used on those pointy metal twisty things that go into the wood. Woo-Hoo!!!

By now you must be wondering; "Am I depressed by how the clothing racks turned out?"

Somehow, "depressed" is not exactly the word I would use.

Sure, they look like something the Three Stooges made while they were tripping on mescaline out in the desert...

But you see, my philosophy is that when life gives you lemons, just squeeze them really hard until lemon juice shoots into your eye irate:

If you made it this far, thanks for reading and have a good evening everyone. Don't mind me; I am just going to drive down to the pier and throw my woodworking tools into the ocean. :surrender:


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## 65BAJA (May 27, 2012)

Hey, we all gotta start somewhere. My workbench top didn't turn out as nice as I wanted. Not all the laminations are tight. There are small gaps all over. Oh well I _think_ it will stay together.:blink:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I wouldn't call myself an idiot. It's a lesson learned. We've all been there. 
Don't worry about it. It looks fine. Nice job


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

The only thing to do is get up, dust yourself off, and get back on the horse that threw you. Like 
Dom said, we've all been there. You should see the well shed I built back in '83. That thing should have been condemned 
from the day I finished it. Practice is what makes perfect, they say. Don't be too hard on yourself. Just keep on keeping on.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Basic joinery*

In the photo you could have extended the base stretchers beyond the vertical member and increased the rigidity by locking it in place. By overlapping the piece you can make elementary mortise and tenons without removing material, but by adding pieces around it.

You could have located the vertical piece on the inside of the leg base and accomplished the same thing.

Start thinking like that and you will have more stable and rigid structures. When working with rectangular stock, like 2" x 4", vertical is more rigid than laying on the flat for a long span like your top stretcher. :thumbsup: bill


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

:laughing::laughing::laughing:
Well. what you think you lack in wood working skills, you certainly make up for with your sense of humor...:laughing::laughing::laughing:
OK, that said, I don't think it's half bad considering the the tool inventory you disclosed in other threads. I made a similar rack for a neighbor several decades ago. She wanted a portable display rack for a plant business she was starting. I'll make a long story short and not tell it. Suffice to say it was a collection of 2x2's held together with carriage bolts and wing nuts


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

I want to thank you for having the bravery to show and talk about what so few of us do - out screw ups:thumbsup: I don't think they are nearly as bad as what you think they are and you have learned some valuable lessons. I doubt you will make those same mistakes again - and if you do, you will learn the most valuable lesson in woodworking - how to fix them/hide them.:yes:


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the encouragement.

The hard thing is that my wife saw me spending good money on tools and stain, so of course she expected something that might, oh, I don't know, LOOK NICE???



> When working with rectangular stock, like 2" x 4", vertical is more rigid than laying on the flat for a long span like your top stretcher.


thanks for the advice, Bill;

If I can find a way to remove the all the stripped screws, I will probably disassemble it and start from scratch, and follow the suggestions you made. Otherwise, I could wait about two weeks for them to fall apart on their own...

Yeah, the pipe is one inch threaded plumbing pipe and the guy at the hardware store (who actually knows what he is doing) suggested that I might try drilling a one inch hole and using the pipe to help reinforce everything. 

I got the hole drilled the right size, but the problem is that when you rotate it one way to screw into one post, then it UNSCREWS from the other post. :huh:

I over came this apparent obstacle by unscrewing the crossbeam, turning it on it's end, then twisting the whole vertical post assembly in the air kind of like a helicopter blade so that it would screw on the right way.

Not pretty, but for a few short moments I was able to bask in the glory of success. :sorcerer:

Then I tried to put the crossbeam back on...

...and now it was too short. Doh! :furious:

I could have got another piece of wood and mitered a new crossbeam the right size, but since I was using my horrible hand saw from HD (on sale for only $3.99) and the hand cut miter cuts were KILLING me, I thought, "I will just cut the pipe shorter. After all, how hard can it be to cut one inch pipe with a hacksaw?":innocent:

Turns out it is *EXTREMELY* hard to cut one inch steel pipe with a hack saw. Who knew?

So, what I did was end up un-helicoptering one of the vertical posts and then unscrewing the pipe from the other. Then I bored out the holes that the pipe goes into deeper, so the verticals would be nearer each other.

Unfortunately, that made it so that the pipe wouldn't thread into the wood anymore, meaning I lost whatever rigidity the pipe was providing.

"At least now it will fit together," I thought.

Well, it WOULD have fit together a whole lot better if the construction lumber posts hadn't been as crooked as Bernie Madoff.



> Practice is what makes perfect, they say.


thank you, Rayking.

At least I have learned enough on this forum from the likes of people like Bill, GeorgeC, BigJoe, CabinetMan, knottscott, and a few others to at least *know* what I am doing wrong now.

And at least now I know enough to _understand_ the suggestions that Bill made to me in post #5, so there is still hope.

the thing is, I need to "get into woodworking" about as much as I need a hernia. All I really wanted to do was just "slap together" some shelves and clothing racks. 

The last thing I wanted to do is "live the woodworker lifestyle," which, from what I understand, means "being the poorest person in your neighborhood" 

But this stuff is kind of addicting... 

Plus the fact that everyone on this forum has been VERY HELPFUL with sharing their knowledge. Really, I am around on a couple of different forums on different topics, and there is RARELY a public forum where so many people have both knowledge AND the enthusiasm to share that knowledge.

and for that, I am VERY thankful.

~~~~~
P.S. As you can see, brevity is not my forte.


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## 65BAJA (May 27, 2012)

Where are you located? Perhaps there is someone on the forum close to you that can help you out.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Dominick said:


> I wouldn't call myself an idiot. It's a lesson learned. We've all been there.
> Don't worry about it. It looks fine. Nice job


I'll have to agree with Dominick.


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

Dominick said:


> I wouldn't call myself an idiot. It's a lesson learned. We've all been there.
> Don't worry about it. It looks fine. Nice job


truer words were never spoken ( or typed )

the only thing i can add is dont be so hard on yourself !!


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thank you, Richard and Bob.

But to be honest I was a lot more proud of them BEFORE I took a peak at all the other things people on this forum had built in the Project Showcase.

All I can say is that I will NEVER balk at the price of custom made furniture now that I know how much work has to be put into making a custom piece.

To me, it seems like you aren't "working" the wood... you are making love to it. 

I mean, you have to know EVERYTHING about how the wood is going to react to what you do. You have to know the wood better than you know yourself.


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

I've been following this and the related threads since they started. I'd say that you're right on track. I am amature (at best) as well, and I can say that you're doing everything right. You are being ambitious, you're making mistakes, and you are trying to figure out ways to not fix the mistakes/improve next time. It is helpful to be self critical in this case. If you were totally pleased with how it turned out, you'd never have the drive to learn anything new. You seem to have a healthy sense of humor to top it off. Good work.:thumbsup:

I taught college art classes for a couple of years. I alwasy told my students to be prepared to make ****. It is going to happen, so you may as well get it out of the way. :yes:


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## chsdiyer (Dec 12, 2011)

Wood4Brains said:


> Thank you, Richard and Bob.
> 
> But to be honest I was a lot more proud of them BEFORE I took a peak at all the other things people on this forum had built in the Project Showcase.


Haha, I know how you feel there, but dont compare your first project to projects of those with years experience. Sure there are people who making very impressive things on their first projects, but there are also those like me who wouldn't have the guts to show their first project. You can't expect a kid to get discouraged because he can't dunk like michael jordan in his first game. 

I think you're first project came out well considering what you had at your disposal and especially that you learned and recognized where you can improve. I'll look forward to seeing your next project  I think i'm learning one of the biggest skills in wood working is patience.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thank you Ben and chsdiyer;



> I think i'm learning one of the biggest skills in wood working is patience.


Yes, I can see that now. It is far too easy to take short cuts, but it is so much better to do it the right way.

I can say that at the minimum, I have built a true respect and admiration for woodworkers. I may not be able to afford to buy custom made furniture, but I will NEVER be dismissive of the higher prices of custom made furniture, now that I know all the hours it takes to make custom pieces, and all the expenses incurred in buying the right equipment and sourcing the right material.


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## Davearmie (Jul 17, 2012)

Dominick said:


> I wouldn't call myself an idiot. It's a lesson learned. We've all been there.
> Don't worry about it. It looks fine. Nice job


Good decisions come from experience.

Experience comes from making bad decisions.:yes:


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## dustmagnet (Jul 12, 2012)

I think they turned out very well for a first project, NOW, if all the professional garage shop, weekend woodworking, gotta have the highest dollar tool you can get, will take a look at this and remember.....THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON THAT WAS BORN A PRO, EVERYONE STARTED SOMEWHERE!....and I learn something new everyday, when I think I know it all, I'm gonna hang up my tools because then somebody's gonna get hurt!


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

> I think they turned out very well for a first project...


Thank you, dustmagnet.

To be honest, I used a VERY low resolution camera and I kind of "dumbed down" the photos in photoshop so that the flaws would be HARDER to see. I think if the photos were clearer, you would really see a lot more problems (especially in the staining - the wood itself was discolored in places and so lots of cough-syrup-orange color shows through the stain).

Thanks again for the encouragement.


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

Especially for utilitarian stuff where esthetics is less important, I've made shoddy shelves that I threw together more rigid by just adding some relatively inexpensive steel brackets from the hardware store. A few small T and L brackets help more than you might think they would, and you could shore up those miter joints with a shelf bracket pretty easily. Honestly I think I have more fun with utilitarian things because I worry less about trying to make it look as good as a professional could.

If you need to remove the stripped screws for any further improvements, get some screw extractors. I used some cheap ones from Sears the other day to remove a furring strip from a wall where the screws were coated in too many coats of paint to engage with a screwdriver. You just drill a matching size hold in the head of the screw, tap the extractor in with a hammer and then use a wrench or power drill to turn the screw out while the extractor threads engage harder into the hole.


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## steamfab (Jun 22, 2012)

One can still find beauty even with flaws. We all have to keep learning and sharing.


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## Fishinbo (Jul 23, 2012)

Screw-ups make us a better person. They hone our skills and mold our value for patience.


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## TS3660 (Mar 4, 2008)

I think you should go into writting woodworking comedy books. We need more of that.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I never screw up. Sometimes I intend to make pieces that get thrown in the scrap pile......I find that if you throw out half of what you build it builds character


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

It's not too late to add corner bracing.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

> It's not too late to add corner bracing.


thanks for the note.

I actually have L shaped angle braces on there. I think they are 3 inch size.

they don't really do much good though, so if I decide to keep them, I will need to come up with some other sort of way to brace it.

In reality, I am just thinking that I will scrap / recycle them. The wood quality isn't that good, and the studs aren't straight, and the finish is carp, and there are stripped screws, and...

Well, I think I will do better psychologically just by starting over and with these old ones just "wishing them into the cornfield." :furious:


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## Rick C. (Dec 17, 2008)

If you were truly an idiot, you would not be on this forum asking questions:thumbsup:


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thank you, Rick.



> If you were truly an idiot, you would not be on this forum asking questions:thumbsup:


Yes, this has been a GREAT forum!!!


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## infoleather (Aug 16, 2012)

This is the self in this case, the key is a help. If you are entirely happy that it is turned out, you'll never have the drive to learn new things.


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## CasinoDuck (Jun 15, 2011)

Don't beat yourself up so much. Next build, you know you'll do better.:thumbsup:


"Some people make butt joints... I make ass joints... "

That, made me laugh my ass off...


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## USMCSergeant (Aug 21, 2012)

Your woodworking skills are like mine, beginner. Your narration skills on the other hand are very advanced. I know you're down about this build, but feel better because you made me giggle like a little girl while reading that, and all my co-workers stared at me in a strange way.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Wood4Brains said:


> thanks for the note.
> 
> I actually have L shaped angle braces on there. I think they are 3 inch size.
> 
> ...


Try triangular wooden blocks glued and screwed inside the corners. It'll add quite a bit of rigidity.


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## CenCal_Sawyer (May 5, 2012)

I didn't see your list of tools, however here's some food for thought. Most pro's rely heavily on the precision of the modern power tool. Look at the cut that comes fresh off the table saw its practically glue-up ready. That same cut that takes 30 seconds in todays shop took a master craftsman at least 5 minutes with a hand saw and hand plane. Very few woodworkers today have the raw skill of our counterparts from before the industrial revolution. Most woodworkers today would be embarrassed to admit all they owned where four hand saws, five chisels, two hammers, three hand planes and a shop made tri-square and yet these were the tools that made all the antique furniture we all drool over. At the end of the day you took raw resources and shaped them to your vision with your hands. I'd say it was time well spend but more importantly, a good start! Welcome to woodworking my fellow idiot.


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## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

W4B,
I finally got around to reading your initial post; what a hoot! Your writing is inversely-proportional to your woodworking! Thanks for the laugh, and keep at it!
-Jim Small


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

I am making several different stles of clothing racks myself. I sell them on Etsy.com. I have been making these two styles mostly with some variations.

This first one is a new style I just started doing. Usually there are two bottom feet with a 1/2" bar in between. The last one like this I made was on Etsy less than 24 hours before it sold. 




























And this style is called the East Village style first seen in the East Village area of NYC. These sell as fast as I can make them. 





























As I learn the M & T joint and some better woodworking skills I would like to try and make some like the ones you showed. They look pretty cool. 

I assume the joints MUST be really strong, or there has to be some corner bracing.

If you are making them for a customer you might try looking for other styles that may be easier to build. Look on Etsy and maybe the customer will be open to new ideas. 

If not then by all means get these guys to help with the ideas. I have learned so much on here!


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

@ VIFmike:

Nice work with the rack.

Yeah the East Village style is basically the "Industrial Chic" look, as far as I understand, and is a style that Anthropologie basically commercialized.

Do you mind if I ask you what you did for the bases? How do you prevent racking (side to side movement)? The base for the rack in the top photo looks like it is laminated end to end. Is that right?

I was hoping to use more wood and less black pipe to keep expenses down. The way I figure, three pieces of black pipe is about $50, then two flanges add on another $16, then two couplings adds on another $16, then if you add on the two short pieces of pipe on the far side of the couplings, that's about another $18, So you are at about $100 just for the black pipe alone.

Then you have to start adding in the cost of the wood and such...

anyway, thanks in advance. I am just trying to make these for our OWN stores and it is taking so long to do it I am going nuts.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Now I should have checked where you live so I can find the pier to which you referred. All that aside, everyone else has covered it one way or another

We all start some where
Practice
Don't give up
And there are various general tips

If your ever in Australia look me up and I'll give you some free woodworking lessons
On here one food thing to do is simply ask for ideas. Show a sketch of what you have in mind and help will come left right and centre. It may even come from the land down under. 

Nothing wrong with building lumber. May need to hand select it so you get straighter stuff. Character is great. Keep it coming.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

Wood4Brains said:


> @ VIFmike:
> 
> Nice work with the rack.
> 
> ...


The wood is not laminated. It is stained then has 2 coats of matte clear. So does the pipe, flat black then matte clear. 

The wood is reclaimed and I get it free. The pipe I buy in 20ft sticks for about $29 a stick. I thread it with a threader I got at HF. The base flanges are $6 or $7 each depending on where I get them but I have been planning on buying them at a local plumbing supply in bulk. 

The bottom of the east village style has casters, the rest have gliders. Either nickel gliders or felt gliders, like a chair has basically. They are adjustable to level out the rack.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

thanks for the insight, VIFmike.



> The pipe I buy in 20ft sticks for about $29 a stick.


how the heck do you cut it? I have just realized that black pipe is VERY hard to cut with a hacksaw.

thanks again.


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## VIFmike (Jul 21, 2012)

Wood4Brains said:


> thanks for the insight, VIFmike.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I cut it with a chop saw. But I would rather have a tubing cutter. much less sparks in my wood shop. 

I am building an awning to move all my metal fab equipment under so the main garage can be for woodworking only.

a pipe cutter like this










is the best way.


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## Fishbucket (Aug 18, 2010)

> Some people make butt joints... I make ass joints... :thumbsup:


 
:laughing::laughing::laughing:



> Thankfully, I had the good sense


and a good sense... of humor :yes:


stick to it, take your time, study construction techniques, you'll get it... or you wont.:laughing:


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

It works. But, I think you made a major error in your design. On the original it has a shelf, but what that does is give support. The original rack has a lot of support so the stress isn't on the screw, it is on the base which looks to be about 1 foot tall. Your design only has about 3". This will allow the clothes rack to well, ummm rack. And eventually it will fall over.

You gotta start somewhere. And at least you recognize what is good and what is not and now on your next project you can apply that knowledge and come up with a project that you be more please with.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thank you, LeoG.

i made two of them and have already disassembled one of them (thank goodness that stripped screw extractors work well).

I have a new design I am going to try which will be more sturdy. Right now I am in the process of making a router table so that I will be able to do at least a little bit of proper joinery. Once I get that finished (hopefully by Monday), I might be able to start working on Plan B.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Yaaaa, many times I remember plan B



and c and d and e.....:laughing:


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

Leo G said:


> Yaaaa, many times I remember plan B
> 
> and c and d and e.....:laughing:


Me too!! Lol


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## TCO (Sep 12, 2012)

USMCSergeant said:


> Your woodworking skills are like mine, beginner. Your narration skills on the other hand are very advanced. I know you're down about this build, but feel better because you made me giggle like a little girl while reading that, and all my co-workers stared at me in a strange way.


 
AGREE 100%. This is exactly what I wanted to say, which I am glad USMC did, as my literary skills are horrible, thanks USMC!


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks for the compliments about the writing skills. It is something I do have pride in (one of the very few things, I guess).

I actually used to write for some magazines and newspapers back in the 90's when I was living in S.E. Asia, so I have something or a background in writing and photography.


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## Spooky721 (Dec 14, 2012)

My, "simple" finger jig is more complicated than it was on the video. My dust collector sucked, just not the dust. My TS sled isn't quite square (this was a trial version anyway to see if it was useful to my son and I, it is so I'll do a better one now). My jointer is so old the company closed up and after 2 days cleaning the machine, touching up the blades and getting them adjusted the second board that went over it had a nail in it, at least the hump it leaves can be sanded down. Somehow the band saw table moved at least that was easy to fix! I got a 6'' steel rule for more accurate measurement then i see that my eyes don't like all those little lines. Oh well it is fun puttering aound with wood anyway, I might even make somethng someday.


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## Capwood (Nov 25, 2012)

*Hey Wood4*

I gotta tell ya...

I've read lots of posts over the years, including many that had comments about someone spitting coffee on the screen over something that tickled their funny bone. Few--VERY few--actually have ever made me laugh out loud, sitting by myself at the computer.

Your post made me laugh a LOT.

That was one fine piece of writing! Thanks for the outstanding post. I hope you'll do more. :thumbsup:


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Personally, I think these projects are much better than any of the first projects that ever came out of my shop. Don't let it get you down, even the veterans look at their work and say "Geez, I wish I had done that a little better". It never ends. Sure, there are areas that you could improve your design, but that will come in time. Nice work and kudos to you for posting it here for our viewing pleasure. It reminds me of where I started from. Thanks for the memories and good luck in the future projects. Don't give up.


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## Woodwart (Dec 11, 2012)

Ah, ya live some, ya learn some. It's not mistakes, it's experience. :thumbsup:


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

Everytime we build something, we have an opportunity to learn. Both from our mistakes and successes.
So, take what you learned from this project , make note of that, and apply your new-found knowledge
on your next undertaking.

And thanks for being so forth-right. No need to be so hard on yourself though as others said.


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