# Some of my projects over the last 2 months



## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

Hi I thought that I would post pictures of what I have made over the last 2 months. The fist project is the router table that I built.I spent about 4 days on it and I am very happy with how it turned out. I have 2 draws for my router bits and other small stuff. The opening below the draws is were I have all my drywall stuff and my tool belt. The router I have mounted is a 2 HP variable speed craftsman router. Below were the router is mounted I have 2 small trim routers and 2 plastic boxes filled with stuff. To mount the router I made a Plexiglas router plate. I have a dust port in the back and with my shop vac there is not very much dust going all over.










The next project I made was this cedar planter. The legs are cedar 4x4 posts and the rails are cedar 2x4. The planter is all mortise and tennon construction.The panels are 1x6 that I cut a tennon on each end and used a bevels router bit with my new router table on the sides.Each board it just free floating in a groove to allow for expansion.








My next project is just a simple cherry box to go over the tissue box. I only spent about 5 hours on this but it looks a lot better than how the tissue box did before.








The next project that I worked on was a mortise and tennon magazine holder to go next to the couch. This was a mothers day gift for my mom.I used some maple with really nice brown stripes all over. THis project took me about 25 hours over a weekend and a couple hours every night for 4 days.I used Danish oil for my finish.







I made this in about 3 hours it is a assembly table that is in the room right outside my work shop that I was able to convince my mom to let me have a table in. This was huge for me because I now have some were to glue up my projects outside of my workshop and don't have to use up any unesisary space inside it.








This is my latest project. It is a blanket chest that I put at the foot of my bed. I used some free plans from minwax to make it. I used pine boards that I glued up into panels to make the sides top and bottom. Since the plans said this chest was based on a design 200 hundred years old I though that it would be neat to make the chest look like it is really old. What I did is I fist painted it red then painted white over it. I then sander some spots to let the red show through I also put a couple of dings in the sides to add to the distressed look. Thanks for looking and let me know what you think of them


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Boy, somebody's been busy. Looking good. Keep it up. I really like the magazine rack and planter.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Man, you've got some projects! Great work and really excellent skill building things to work on. Nicely done!


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## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

thanks I had to work realy hard to get them to look good


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Woodworkingkid said:


> thanks I had to work realy hard to get them to look good


...Don't we all! 

I wish I had your energy Buck-o! 

How do you like the (recently acquired) table saw? Looks like it's got your undivided attention. Nice work.


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## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

I realy like my new table saw. I can cut 1.5 inch maple with out bogging down. I still have to get a linked belt for it because im getting a small amount of vibration.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Nice job, and kudos to Mom as well! It's awesome that you have her support. These are good looking projects that you've executed very well. The projects you're doing now will be the building blocks for extravagant ones you build in the future. The planter looks like it'll survive a nuclear war! Very nice indeed.


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## GoIrish (Jan 29, 2012)

Keep up the goof work.


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## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

thanks


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

You're off to a great start. As time goes by, you will find that you are paying more and more attention to detail and trying to perfect your joinery. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your projects with us. Very cool.


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## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks. What are some things that you would recommend doing to get better at paying More attention to the details that make projects look better.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

*This question has a never ending answer.........*



> What are some things that you would recommend doing to get better at paying More attention to the details that make projects look better.


 
There are a lot of things that you could do to start down the path to fine woodworking. Small things make a big difference. For starters, double checking that your table saw blade is square to your table goes a long way to making more accurate cuts. Start out with the frame of mind that "good enough" is not good enough. If you need a piece to be 10 15/16", don't settle for 10 7/8". Checking your cuts for square is also important. If a cut that you make is not square, and it should be, find out why and correct the problem. I could be something as simple as a misalligned fence or miter gauge. The next project you do, that requires hinges (like in your router table) consider trying to mortise them in and hide them. It will go a long way to building your skill set and make your project look much more professional. I like the fact that you used mortise and tenon joinery in your magazine rack for your mom. Don't stop there. With every new project, try a new type of joinery. Picture frames are great for this. Half lap joints, miters, miters with spline, miters with dovetail splines, pinned joints, butt joints etc can all give a frame a completely different look. Try them all. If nothing else, at least you will learn a way to do a new type of joinery. I can't see what type of construction you used for the drawer in your router table, but if you ever want to practice another form of joinery, you could always make a new drawer and try some splines, or dovetails, or lock miter joints, or classic drawer lock joints. The possiblities are endless and they only stop with the limits of your imagination. Feel free to ask a million and one questions and be sure to do every process safely. I see a ton of potential in your work and I think you have what it takes. Now push yourself that extra mile to acheive that next level in your woodworking journey.


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

Woodworkingkid said:


> Thanks. What are some things that you would recommend doing to get better at paying More attention to the details that make projects look better.


Study the masters. And, read every book you can on traditional joinery, both western and japanese.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Sharp chisels.

Really, really, really sharp and true chisels.


-And what Kenbo said!


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## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

Wow thanks for all the great info. I have to admit that some of the time I say that something good enough when it's not and then it ends up not looking as good as it could. I like the idea of making picture frames and trying out all different types of joints on them. I think I will make one this week and try using half lap joints on it since I have never tried those before. For the draws in my router table I just used dado joints to hold the ends on and then put a front over that. A couple weeks ago I was given a lock miter bit so when I get some free time I am going to remake the two draws using the the bit.
I have read a couple books on joinery that I got from the library and I have been thinking about getting one that I can keep down in my shop for when I am trying to make a joint and need to read how to do it.I just don't know what book on joinery would be the most helpful.
What should I do to get my chisels really sharp. I have a really nice set of 7 marples chisels that were made in Sheffield England. Were my uncle works they were going to throw them out and he got them along with about 900$ in other tools that they were going to throw out because they never use them anymore. I have a oil stone that but I can never seem to get them that sharp


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## GoIrish (Jan 29, 2012)

Woodworkingkid said:


> Wow thanks for all the great info. I have to admit that some of the time I say that something good enough when it's not and then it ends up not looking as good as it could. I like the idea of making picture frames and trying out all different types of joints on them. I think I will make one this week and try using half lap joints on it since I have never tried those before. For the draws in my router table I just used dado joints to hold the ends on and then put a front over that. A couple weeks ago I was given a lock miter bit so when I get some free time I am going to remake the two draws using the the bit.
> I have read a couple books on joinery that I got from the library and I have been thinking about getting one that I can keep down in my shop for when I am trying to make a joint and need to read how to do it.I just don't know what book on joinery would be the most helpful.
> What should I do to get my chisels really sharp. I have a really nice set of 7 marples chisels that were made in Sheffield England. Were my uncle works they were going to throw them out and he got them along with about 900$ in other tools that they were going to throw out because they never use them anymore. I have a oil stone that but I can never seem to get them that sharp


Cheapest way is to either joint a board or get a piece of float glass and sand paper. The oil stone can be brought back by lapping it with something like a diamond stone. I like water stones for the final edge but use a Tormek for most sharpening since it is easy and produces a great edge when I have gone to far to get right with a water stone.


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Hooo-Boy! That quest is being debated to some degree as we read this, right here on our fine forum, in *more* than one thread. 

I would recommend beginning with sandpaper. Get automotive (body-shop) sandpaper. You can get three or four grits at a time this way, usually right down to 1000 grit, starting with around 80 or 100 or even 120. Let's say you get four packs. One each, at 80, 180, 320 and then 1000. These are not necessarily exacts, but you get the idea of graduating (stepping "up") grits in sequence. This is the whole idea. Start rough, and get smoother as you go. Cut the 9" by 11" inch sheets in half lengthwise so you get 4.5" by 11" sheets. Adhere one of these sheets to something smooth and hard like a granite or marble flooring tile or a piece of glass (*must be really smooth and flat*! -And supported underneath). I use a light coat of spray adhesive.
Flatten the backs of your chisels as best you can with 180, then 320.

Then get a good "idea" of what a 25 degree angle is and with the 80 grit, get a good bevel started at that angle. It doesn't have to be perfectly 25* now because you're just doing this to get the idea of how to sharpen for your needs, and your style here.
Do the same with the following grits, 10 to 20 strokes, whatever feels right. Stop at 320 grit and check your 90 degree angle at the tip for true 90* (perpendicular to the side) angle, and adjust accordingly. Finish off with your 1000 grit at a very slightly higher angle than the 25* on the bevel side, gradually, carefully get a feel for "shaving the skin" off of the surface of the sandpaper. You'll feel it. Just a few strokes. Then flatten the back again using the 1000 grit this time. 

You'll be amazed.

Keep something handy for brushing away the fine dust out of your paper between working the chisels.

Mind you, this is just a start. Just a beginning. Just to get you an idea. Do it "dry". No water or oil. No stones. _*All that will come later*_. Trust me on that.

Good luck and don't cut yourself. Please.

Dan


p.s. Those Marples' should do you just fine.


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## Woodworkingkid (Jan 8, 2011)

Just a quick update i went and got a 5 different packs of sand paper the lowest is 220 and the highest is 1500. I also got a piece of glass and some spray adhesive and cut the sand paper smaller and put it on the glass and I haven't had time to try it yet because I am redoing all of my dust collection pipes because they were to low and I kept hitting my head on them so i am moving them so they will be more out of the way. I also started on making a picture frame that I hope to have done by this weekend. Thanks for all the great ideas.


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Great! Thanks for the update. 

No one's in any hurry here (well, I'm not, anyways).

Good luck with your frame!


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