Continues….

Today was very much more of the same – I broke down the last 2 sheets of 2400×1200 MDF (one 12mm, the other 16mm) using a circular saw and a guide.  I really have a very low opinion of circular saws – dislike using them at the best of times.  The real danger comes with kickback, and unlike a tablesaw where the kickback results in the piece of timber being thrown, when you are using a handheld circular saw, and it tries to kickback, it is the saw that jumps and bucks, and tries to rip out of your hands.  It doesn’t take much to cause that to happen either.  The blade only has to bind just a little in the cut for the blade to stop doing what it is meant to, transferring the power of the motor into the cutting tips of the blade, and instead transferring the motor power into a rotational force that your hands and arms have to resist or risk a runaway saw (and potentially serious damage).  Even if you get away with it, your large sheet can incur some significantly horrendous scars.

I hate circular saws.  It kicked back more than once on me – each time I twisted the blade slightly during the cut.  It was a moderately powered saw – 1800W with a thin kerf blade, so I don’t know what was contributing to the (user caused) problem.  Was it that the blade was thin, so could distort under incorrect loading easier and therefore bind? Was it the saw itself was too powerful vs its weight? Not powerful enough, so it stopped cutting when conditions were less than ideal?  Whatever the cause, there is an underlying cause – I didn’t cut perfectly straight.  I got past that task, but I’ll be happy if I never have to use a circular saw handheld again (and with the imminent arrival of the Torque Workcentre, which has a circular saw mount and can cut a full 1200 wide panel, I’m hoping it means I will never have to).

You might ask why I am using a handheld saw if I dislike them so much, when I have a large tablesaw?  Simple answer – I might have a big saw, but a small shed – I have to break the sheet down smaller to be able to handle it in there.  There is another reason – single-handedly managing a sheet that size through a tablesaw can still result in twisting the sheet (and having the sheet stop contacting the fence), and there is every potential of a kickback in that situation too.  In future, if I have to do it by hand again I am going to take Marc Spagnuolo’s approach, and have the sheet resting on the ground, with a sacrificial board underneath (he uses polystyrene) – it will take more of the variables out of the picture and result in more ability to focus on, and control the saw through the entire cut. (I found I was overreaching near the end, and that is when things were going pear-shaped).

Despite the couple of….issues during the breakdown, things were pretty productive and I got both fridges made, as well as all the doors and tops cut.  Now they are getting close to needing the finer details made and fitted – taps, knobs, handles and the small things that take the build from the ordinary just up to the next level.

All coming together

Some of the additional details I want to add include the fridge door- adding a shelf (on the inside obviously, like a real fridge), and an egg holder shelf.  It is little, easy details like that which will elevate the overall build to a level I will be happy with giving these to friends.  I still need to cut the stove elements, and the sink cavity, make the stove knobs, door handles etc etc – now that hard work (not necessarily the heavy work) begins.  I’m really looking forward to this part of the project – when it comes to life.

While I was working today, I found myself using one tool (other than the Domino) a number of times – one I find really useful.  It is the Black & Decker PowerFile.  I’ve had it for a number of years, and it is great for getting into areas, minor shaping, quick hinge mortising etc.

B&D Power File

It is a belt sander, running a finger-wide belt with an exposed end.  Not very clear in the photo, but the notch seen here in the MDF to fit around the cabinet upright was cut on the bandsaw.  I then needed to round the edge, and that is where the power file came into its own.

Toy Kitchen Build

Got to kick the build of 2 kids’ kitchens on quite a way, and made extensive use of the Festool Domino in doing so. The precise, and repeatable placement of mortises really came into its own, and certainly helped a great deal with part alignment and project strength.

Module Sides

With 4 modules, all with identical sides it made the job even faster working out the position of the required Dominos, then repeating it for each unit.

To aid the layout, I found the Woodpeckers Story Stick absolutely invaluable.  It is the first time I’ve actually used the Story Stick in anger, and found it so relevant that I’d hesitate to say it is a much have if you are doing this sort of repeat work, particularly for larger constructs. The Incra Rules are perfect for smaller scale projects/jobs, and have also made a constant appearance on this build.  I find the Incra T Rules especially useful – inserting the 0.5mm pencil lead in the relevant hole for the required dimension, then slide the T Rule along the edge of the work to draw a line an exact distance in from the edge.

Using the Story Stick to Accurately Place Dominos

Repeatable Domino Placement

It is not just for dominos, but that was the application I was using it for.

Failed Triton ROS

I recently had the Triton ROS pad fail, rendering my TROS unusable, so had to resort to using an original Triton ROS that fits to the angle grinder.  This was new in packet, and fell apart after sanding just a single unit (poor tolerance control by the looks of it).  Frustration, and it has left me without any random orbital sander at all.  Just goes to show – you can’t have too many spare tools!

Carcasses in Process

So here is where I got up to – the carcasses of the sink (smaller unit) and oven/stove (larger unit) assembled – dominoed and glued.  I’m making two complete kitchens – thus the doubling up.  They are made to the design and specification requested by the respective parents.  The units don’t look like much at the moment, but this is the important part – the frame that the features get added to.

Cutting Shelf Support with the Domino

The Festool Domino really dominated this build – with all the parts making up each unit having dominos to increase strength, and ensure alignment.  Some shelves in the units I wanted to be removable, but still being kid’s furniture, I didn’t want the shelves able to simply be pulled and slip out.  So instead I went with dominos as shelf supports, and then cut a domino slot into the edge of the shelf, half exposed.

Using Dominos as Shelf Support

At this point, I think it simply appropriate to say thanks to all the earlier converts who persevered and persisted, and finally convinced me that the Festool Domino was a machine worth having.  It certainly is. And I never expected to be saying that!

Attempting Spontaneous Combustion

6 months ago, I was talking about the dangers of oil-soaked rags, and bought some linseed oil (raw) to see if I could duplicate some of the ship fires I experienced, where incorrect disposal of linseed oil rags resulted in a spontaneous combustion.

It has taken from until now to actually carry out the first test, so into a wheelbarrow I placed a clean (new) rag, which had been significantly doused in raw linseed oil.  I used a wheelbarrow because it is obviously fire resistant, and means if I needed to, I could wheel it away, or flood it with water (or hit it with the fire extinguisher).

I ran the actual experiment outside for safety reasons again, and it’d be interesting to know if that had an impact on the initial results.

Spontaneous Combustion Experiment

Inside the shed I set up a laptop with some data logging software on it, and had a USB-powered thermocouple inserted into the centre of the rags to monitor the temperature.

Oiled Rags

The rags were quite soaked in the linseed oil, and screwed up like they were carelessly being thrown away.

The Results:

Temperature Range

I set the experiment to run for 10 hours (didn’t think it would need all that, but there you go), and sampling every 30 seconds.  1200 data points in all.  To explain some features of the graph – the first tiny spike was where I tested the ambient temperature.  The test started in the shade around 10:30 am, went through the heat of the day (ambient temperature was around 31 degrees C), and approx 3 hours in, the sun began directly impacting on the experiment (as you can see with the sudden temperature rise).

The temp started around 21 C, and peaked at 61 C, 6 hours into the experiment.  Didn’t think that was too bad a result, but certainly wasn’t the smoldering wreck I was expecting.  I could still pick up a bit of a skin reaction and that fuzzy feeling in the back of the sinuses, so there was some reaction going on, just not as much as I was expecting.

However, there are a number of variables that quite conceivably had an impact on the result.  The linseed oil was raw, and not boiled, the rag was quite thick, and not worn down at all.  The rag was screwed up, but not particularly tightly, and was out in the open rather than in a bin under other objects pushing down on it (increasing the compactness).  It was outside, in direct sunlight (which may have caused some evaporation of the oil, rather than having it remain to slowly combust).

I guess a second test is in order to eliminate some of these variables, and see if we can’t score a result (aka burn baby!)

Dust Broom take 2

With an upgrade of the brackets and the addition of a handle, the prototype was ready to try.

Immediate Affirmation

In a couple of seconds, I was surprised just how successful it was proving.  In a very short space of time, the entire shop was returned to a semblance of normalcy.  It is also a bit of a shock to see just how much dust was there – the contrast was rather marked.  It really goes to show I shouldn’t use hand tools (particularly circular saws) without some attempt at dust extraction.  Between that, and a less-than-ideal dust collection on the router table, the workshop was obviously significantly covered in a uniform dust skin.

Dust Broom

The broom handle is….a broom handle – one of those $4 ones from the hardware store.  A block of wood screwed across two of the brackets that are holding the wheels has an angled hole drilled, then tapped with the wood thread kit, and a matching male thread cut into the end of the broom handle.

The 4″ hose is the ultra-flexible dust hose from Carbatec.  It looks a little clumsy, and perhaps I need to go to version 3 to get some more bugs out, but you know me – when a prototype works well enough, it tends to end up being the final version.

Broom Detail

Part of the problem I was having (I now discover), is the amount of downforce generated by the dusty was sucking the nozzle down onto the ground as the brackets were not strong enough.  These new ones are coping (just), and the rubber matting is getting pulled towards the nozzle.  It works exceptionally well on the concrete floor.  My initial thought about variable height is not an issue once the handle was fitted – pushing down on the handle causes the nozzle to lift (riding on the two back castors only) so larger particles can be collected easily.

So not bad – bet there is a better commercial version out there though!

The Torque in the Gossip Columns

The new advert for the Torque Workcentre, about to hit the mags.  Apparently mine is pretty much finished and will be boarding the truck to head south probably on Monday (it might have been a little earlier, but the Brisbane Hands-On Expo is this weekend).

Get Your Hands-On!

So it has finally arrived – the first of the new Hands-On Wood Shows, Brisbane this weekend (Friday to Sunday).  Sad I can’t be there – hope you all have a blast!  Some things to keep an eye out for: Addictive Pens – I really like their circuit-board blanks, and the snake-skin ones (still haven’t had a chance to turn the ones I got from the Melbourne show – had other priorities).  Torque Workcentre – have a good look at what this machine can do (and that is a lot more than just a bit of surfacing) and why I’m looking forward to having one in my workshop. Kreg – I’m interested in seeing all the new product range that will become available through a new venture.  There are heaps more too.  Carrolls, Carbatec, Carbitool, Magswitch, Tormek etc etc Have a look at the Exhibitor List (pdf) – looks an impressive collection.

So have a great show!

And as a reader of Stu’s Shed, you can get 2 tickets for the price of one.

For shed dwellers nirvana is a shed full of tools, finished products, accessories, timber, materials and plenty of free advice for the tricky bits!
Get a taste of shed heaven at the Hands-On Expo with woodwork, auto, metalwork and DIY tools, tips and techniques.
Stu’s Shed Special – save money with 2 tickets for the price of 1. Click here to take a mate for half the cost.

2 for 1: Stu’s Shed Special

Print out the PDF form and take it along on the day for you and a mate to get in for the price of a single ticket. The form is valid for Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Router bit of the Month?

Ok, so neither a router lift, a digital height gauge or a starter are router bits, but as I didn’t specifically have any router bits to showcase this month, I’ve opted for the next best thing – accessories for the router table to improve the accuracy of the bits you have.

Fitting the Wixey Remote Readout to the UniLift

The UniLift precisely controls the height of your router bit, and by using a rule, or digital height scale you can get the height set very accurately, and also to change from one to the next.   To take it to the next level, you can also fit a digital height gauge with remote readout directly to the UniLift.  The Wixey Remote Readout can be used in other applications – wherever you have a linear motion (max 125mm) and want to have the position remotely displayed, to 0.5mm.

Moving bracket

The first thing I did was determine where the unit was going to fit, given the specific router I have, and that I want to be able to remove and replace the entire lift with readout attached.  I fitted the bracket in a hole that is predrilled for this purpose, then bent it to the angle I required.

Isolating Screws

The Triton router is quite electronically noisy, and as it has been found to cause some interference with the Wixey digital readouts, it is necessary to electrically isolate the mechanism from the router.  Plastic bolts, nuts and washers are provided for this.

Wixey Sensor Fitted

I drilled a partial-depth hole into the underside of the router plate, and fitted the electronic rule (the green circuit board), and screwed the moving sensor to the bracket.  Now all that was needed was to plug in the Cat5 cable from the remote readout, and I had precise, digitally accurate relative height measurement for the router.

Ultimate Table Upgrade Components

So here are the components I’ve added to continue the router table upgrade (shown in the tablesaw mount – I’ll wait for the Torque Workcentre fitting before inserting the plate into my recently machined cast iron router top).  It consists of the Woodpeckers UniLift, Wixey Digital Remote Readout, and the Pro Router Switch all from Professional Woodworkers Supplies.  The switch is a no-volt release 10A switch (so it doesn’t automatically turn back on after a power outage), with illuminated lights for the on and off switches.

 

Fitting a Router Lift

When I first came across the Woodpeckers Router Lift, I had 2 thoughts – a really visually appealing piece of engineering, and not something that would be particularly useful for owners of a Triton Router (given its built-in geared height adjustment, and particularly the microadjuster).

Times, and opinions change.

What really bought my attention back to the router lift was a router course I went on a year and a half ago, run by Richard Vaughan. He uses Triton routers, and yet was also bestowing the virtues of the router lift, and using them with the Triton.  Not being one to disregard such an expert (and informed) opinion I relooked at the whole concept, and reassessed why I had drawn my earlier conclusions.

I became more aware of a few issues I had with the router, and particularly as they were beginning to age – slack in the height threads (they are nylon, not steel in the Triton router), and some tendency for them to stick slightly when microadjusting.  Some of this can certainly be rectified by a good dismantling and clean, but there is something to the concept of not being dependent on the in-built threads to remain functional (not even touching on the whole Triton spares issues).

So when the opportunity came along to follow Richard’s lead, and add a full-blown router lift to my (self-coined) “Ultimate” router table, I’ve taken it (and the engineering is still very appealing!)

The Woodpeckers UniLift from Professional Woodworkers Supplies consists of a solid anodised aluminium top, various inserts for different sized router bits, which unlike to old Triton router table, are actually flush with the rest of the surface.  It comes with 3, and you can get a set of all 8 sizes if you have a need.  They were originally aluminium as well, but there were too many incidents where the rings were dropped on hard surfaces which caused them to distort and become unusable.  The plastic ones work as well, are as flush with the surface, and can be dropped!

UniLift Mechanism (with router carrier removed)

Below the top plate is where the real mechanism exists – 4 sprockets with a connecting chain, so when the height lever is used, everything turns at equal rates, smoothly raising and lowering the router. There are 4 support rods, and two threaded rods for height adjustment. Around the edge there are grub screws to fine-tune the fit and flushness of the plate to your router table top.

To fit the router, you first remove the router carrier and attach it directly to the base of the router.

Router Carrier Base

There are a number of holes to fit a wide variety of routers. I chose an orientation for the router to allow the best access to the controls.

Reattaching the carrier

Next, you drop the carrier into the bottom of the base, then wind the mechanism down so the screws can be reinserted to fix everything together.

That’s all that is needed to have the router lift operational.  There is a brake on one sprocket which is activated with a hex key (supplied), and another sprocket which can be rotated to take up slack in the chain.

Next article will cover fitting the Wixey digital height gauge with remote readout to the UniLift

Enough Torque, More Action

Not that the build-to-order time is at all unreasonable (actually pretty quick) – I just can’t wait for the unit to be completed!

I keep thinking of other ways the unit may be used, and am keen to see what ideas will work, and which may not.

My latest ideas include:

- a form of Bas-Relief of a Stu’s Shed sign, using a real blade set at an angle as the template for that portion of the sign,

- using the Carb-i-tool 3D Router Carver templates with the copy attachment as an easier way of producing those designs (I think that will work exceptionally well),

- using a copy atttachment that has the ability to fit different bearing sizes so the same template can be used for different effects

- creating a pantograph for use with the copy attachment for scaling patterns/templates both up and down

- doing some sort of spirograph effect

- using some form of rudamentary lathe (basically just to hold the work) with an index ring for overhead routing of round objects – such as creating a fluted column or the like

- expanding that concept, with a gear on the lathe, and a second on a thread controlling the x-position of the router, and you can now rout a helix.  No I haven’t explained that at all well – I know what I mean though

- 3D object duplication – using the Torque as a wood mill (as in a metal mill for wood)

There are lots of possibilities once you have solid control over an overhead-mounted router.

 

Limiting your range of plans?

As much as I do enjoy coming up with my own designs and projects, building them in my mind, working through the specifics of design, I also look at a LOT of woodworking plans.

I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t necessarily care whether the plan is in imperial or metric, but I do know a lot of people who are only comfortable working with plans that use the same measurement scale that is ‘native’ to their country, and as such pass up on the opportunity to use some incredible designs just because they are drawn up in inches and not millimetres (or the reverse).

At times, it really does become necessary to work in one, or the other, or worse, mix the two in the same project.  In Australia for example, being metric and mm being our forte, we run into a constant problem that often not only are the plans in imperial, but so are the tools!  Router bits are imperial, that is just a fact.  Often the same with other cutters, such as dado blades etc.  So what do we do?  Abandon projects that require a conversion?  Constantly get out a calculator and divide the fraction then multiply by 25.4? Or just use a better calculator.

The FastCap Converter Pro, from Professional Woodworkers Supplies allows calculations in digital imperial, fraction, and metric all in the same calculation and then have the answer in metric or a fraction (and flick between the two).

Converter Pro

So if you wanted to add 2.52″ + 2 5/32 +37.5mm you can.  Easily.

(The answer is 6 1/8″ or 156.28mm fwiw (and yes, I’d just round it to 156!)

Or subtract the kerf of your blade, measured using a digital caliper.  Or whatever.

The point is, you don’t have to ignore projects, plans, tools that use a measuring system you are not confident with. And that is the advantage that having the Converter Pro in your pocket gives you.

A Bank Demonstrates Real Values??!!!

BankWest in Australia has recently conducted a shed survey across the country, with some interesting results – the most surprising being that a bank has actually looked up from their own navels and had a look at something that has importance to a number of its customers.

Bankwest Shed Index
4 September 2009

Today Bankwest released the latest research in its Social Indicator Series, the inaugural “Shed Index”.

So who is the typical shed user? 90% of primary shed users are men, spending two hours or less a week in the shed, generally wood turning, spray painting with some even installing a stereo or bar fridge to hang out in their backyard refuge.

The “Shed Index” also revealed some disturbing facts around sheds. Five per cent of sheds have been burgled, with thieves taking off with on average, contents worth $1,911, 16 per cent of men reported they had an accident in their shed, with one in five needing a trip to the doctors.

Whether women do or do not understand the importance of the Great Aussie Shed, there is no doubt that “shed time” is actually good for relationships with three out of four men said their partner didn’t mind them spending time in the back yard.

Interesting “Great Aussie Shed” Facts

* 65% of shed owners enjoy their shed time.
* Contents of the average shed are worth $8,908.00.
* 23% of men say the global financial crisis has stopped them buying tools for their shed (good hint for Father’s Day gifts).
* 6% of men say they’ve used part of the government’s stimulus package for their shed.
* 20% say their proudest achievement in their shed is building furniture.

Download a copy of the full report and a breakdown on each state below:

* Sheds National
* Sheds NSW
* Sheds VIC
* Sheds QLD
* Sheds WA
* Sheds SA
* Shed Results

-Ends-

Thanks for the heads-up Glenn!