Rockler flyer project link

I just received the latest Rockler flyer, which contained a link to one of my favorite projects--a really lovely holiday bow box which appeared on the cover of the December, 2013 issue of Woodworker's Journal.

 

Since Rockler often runs good promotions, if you haven't yet signed up for the flyer, you might want to do so.

Here's the link to the flyer

Jet belt sander maintenance update

About two years ago, I posted a video on my YouTube channel about my discovery of the replaceable graphite pad that's under the sanding belt of the Jet belt-disc sander.  It's supposed to help keep things cooler, and also protects the metal bed that it covers.

Since the pad was never mentioned in the manual, how was anyone supposed to know that it was there, and needed periodic replacement?

Removing the original pad and cleaning the metal bed was unpleasant and time-consuming due to the strength of the adhesive backing. However, quite by accident I discovered that Klingspor's Woodworking Shop (my go-to place for most sanding supplies) sold comparable graphite strips that were 6" wide and 3' long.  Each strip was far less costly than the Jet product, and was also long enough for two complete applications.

Most important, however, is that the back of the graphite pad of the Klingspor product is not self-stick.  To attach it, cut the strip the correct length and apply Aileen's temporary spray adhesive.  When it's time for replacement, just remove the belt, pull the pad off, and clean up any residue with mineral spirits.

Even better, since only the lower part of the pad is likely to wear out, you can double the life of each pad by inverting it when it gets worn. Now there are no excuses for struggling, and I plan to check the pad each time I replace the belt.

Oval open segmented bowl

I'm into oval shapes these days, and worked up one in an open segmented version.  The trick was to keep the segments the same size all around the circumference while using my usual wedge method for this type of bowl.

Here's a picture of the bowl and what the rings looked like from the underside, once cut.  I sanded the remainder of the wedges from the center so I could use it for the base.  An alternative would have been just to use another thin piece of wood.

Same technique as I've been using, but the different shape gives it a totally new look.

Choosing a foot pedal

I had never used a foot pedal until I got my Hegner scroll saw, which came with one.  The pedal was small and thin, and very easy to use.  The only drawback was remembering to push it under the saw so that I didn't step on it unintentionally.

When I tried using the pedal that came with the Jet scroll saw, it felt like my foot was suspended in mid-air.  I know that this is a standard design, but for my size 7 foot, it was just too large and high.  It was easy enough to replace with the smaller one, since both types have provision for connecting a tool to the pedal.

Here's a picture that shows the size comparison for the two different types.  If you're in the market for a foot pedal, it would be a good idea to try out both types to see which is most comfortable for you to use.

.15mm makes a difference

Maybe it's just my drill bits, but when I drill a 1/4" hole for a 1/4" dowel, it never fits!  I end up sanding the dowel until I can slide it in, and it is a big time-waster.

Recently, we used 8mm barrel hinges for a box, and found out that a 8.2mm drill bit was recommended by the manufacturer.  I decided to apply the same principle to my dowel dilemma, using one of the metric drill bits that was part of an inexpensive set I bought on eBay.

I looked at my conversion table, and found that 1/4" is 6.35mm, so I drilled a test hole with a 6.5mm bit.  As I had hoped, the dowel slid in snugly, but easily.

Metric bits can be hard to come by, but those cheap sets from China are perfectly adequate for occasional tasks, and nice to have on hand.  They certainly make what should be a simple task exactly that!

Safety glasses

Shop safety is an ongoing issue, even with relatively safe tools like the scroll saw.  While I'm vigilant about wearing a dust mask and hearing protection, I must admit that I've been careless at times with eye protection, especially when the risk seemed minimal.

Recently, I've had some eye surgery, which upped the ante a bit, and made me realize that you never know when an accident might happen, and that I'd better clean up my act before getting into trouble.

I knew that reading glasses didn't offer sufficient protection, but I wasn't sure what options were available, especially those that wouldn't break the bank.  I asked around to find out what other people use, and learned that DeWalt, as well as some other companies, make bifocal safety glasses in different strengths, at minimal cost.

I ordered a pair of DeWalts, since I've used their regular safety glasses successfully.  I'm new to bifocals, but the adjustment period was pretty quick, and I thought it couldn't hurt to get the word out.

Seeing, breathing, and hearing are pretty important, and worth protecting, even if it's a nuisance at times!

Unexpected solution to a problem

I've been struggling for the longest time to find a way to draw a thin line on dark wood, like walnut or sapele.  I have a white pencil, but the lead is thick and waxy, the pointed tip breaks off immediately, and the line it makes is too wide for accurate cutting.

I mentioned this dilemma while teaching a class at this year's Fox Chapel Open House.  One of the participants mentioned that his wife uses something called a quilting pencil to make marks on dark fabric.

I went to a local shop that teaches quilting and sells supplies, and sure enough they had one.  It wasn't inexpensive, but came with extra pieces of lead, so I decided to give it a try.  The lead is still quite fragile, and I broke a few tips until I figured out how much to let out, but it does give a line that is thin enough to use as a cut line, and shows up nicely against the dark wood.

So, if you've faced a similar problem, here's one solution.  If anyone has others, please let me know and I'll get the word out.

When clamping's not an option--the video

Many of my projects cannot be glued using standard clamps.  Instead, I use hand pressure and the right adhesive.  Here's a video of my tests, to supplement my previous post.

When clamping is not an option

I often find myself in situations where I need a strong glue joint but clamping is out of the question.  It might involve attaching a bow loop to a box lid, gluing a strip on the diagonal, or joining two pieces of thin wood.

My solution has been to use my hands to apply clamping pressure, along with an adhesive with a quick grab and relatively fast set-up time. As my projects increased in complexity, I found that Weldbond, my go-to PVA glue, was too slow-setting to be practical for my new needs. I was reluctant to use a CA glue, since they are vulnerable to shear, and no one wants to see decorations snap off with normal handling.

When a new product, Nexabond, came on the market, it was touted as a CA glue formulated for use with wood. I gave it a try, and it performed as well as Weldbond, but with a much faster set-up time. It soon became my adhesive of choice for these special gluing situations.

However, when it became unavailable, I needed to find a suitable replacement.  I located several contenders and set up a test to see how they stacked up against each other, and against Weldbond.  The three on the left are CA adhesives, and the two on the right are PVA glues.

I tested them for ease of application, for how long it took for a piece to hold its position when pressure was released, and for resistance to shear.  The results were quite encouraging.  All adhesives performed well when subjected to "normal" rough handling, such as picking up a lid by the center loop or tail.  When I tried to separate the pieces from the wood, to see if they would shear at the glue line, there was some variation.

The best CA performers overall were Titebond Thick and DAP RapidFuse.  (RapidFuse is actually Nexabond Medium, renamed, and now manufactured by DAP.)  The Titebond Gel formula was too thick to spread easily, but performed best for tests were it could be "blobbed" on.

The two PVA glues performed well as far as ease of application and resistance to shear.  Titebond Quick&Thick had slight edge in resistance to shear, but is less versatile than Weldbond as a general adhesive, making it more of a specialty product.

On a test that involved the insertion of multiple pieces of veneer between two pieces of wood, neither PVA glue produced satisfactory results.  Tasks like this need the faster set-up time of the CA adhesives, and the thick and medium formulations were easier to spread than the gel.

Your choice depends, of course, on your specific needs, but you can be confident that these are all quality products that deliver what they promise.

Preparing for Fox Chapel's Open House next week

Made a new project, a larger version of one I'd tried, especially for my advanced bowl class, and have also made a totally unglued version of it to show how to handle multi-blank bowls.

The larger version was made the same way as the smaller one, but with slightly thinner wood, and one extra ring for the lower section to give it better proportions.

Not too difficult, and a really fun project!

Finished table project

If you check down a few posts, you'll see the sanding set-up that I used to true the corners of a piece of wood to be used for the top of a small table.

We finally finished the table, and I'm pleased to say the the edges required only a little touch-up to prepare it for bearing-guided routing.

And here's a photo of the tray that inspired the project!

Error alert for basket project in Issue 63 of SSW

It was just brought to my attention that the dimensions for the base piece of the basket are incorrect.  They should be 5-1/2" x 5-1/2", not 4" x 4".

If you have already cut the rings, you can use the remainder of the base from the original blank by sanding off the wedges from the underside. It should match the bottom ring perfectly.  If you drilled a small hole in the center for pattern placement, you can fill it with a mixture of glue and sawdust and it will pretty well disappear.

Sorry for the error, but sometimes they slip through despite many layers of proofreading.

Making the most of your belt sander

My belt-disc sander combo is one of the workhorses of my shop. Usually my workpieces are small and easily fit on the tables. This time, however, I needed to smooth out the curves for the top of a small table that we're making to fit a lovely brass tray that we picked up from a "free" pile outside someone's home.

The heavy duty stock support is usually used with the table saw or band saw.  However, this time it showed its versatility as it allowed me to rotate the wood easily as I smoothed out the curves in preparation for routing.

A little cumbersome, but really did the job!

New tricks with your drum sander

I've had success using these simple techniques to salvage wood that would otherwise probably be trashed. This is my third video about ways I use my SuperMax drum sander, and the more I use it, the more invaluable it becomes. Some tools are just that good!

When you need to go really basic

Sometimes simple is the best solution!  And Mikasa does make a really round salad plate!

Still trying to learn GIMP . . . . .

Flattening cupped wood

It's always a pleasure to work with perfectly flat wood. However, sometimes the piece you want to use is cupped. Here are some suggestions you might find useful for flattening the wood.

If the piece is thin, try moistening the concave (incurving) side then clamping it firmly until dry. Often, this is all it takes to flatten the wood to a point where it can be used. However, try to use the wood as soon as possible, since it will tend to revert to the way it was originally. I do this with wood for box and bowl bottoms, and once glued into place, the wood becomes quite stable. I would not use wood that has been cupped and flattened this way for a slab lid or other unsupported use. It might remain flat, but it also might not, and why take the chance?

If the cupped piece is thick enough so you have wood to spare, place it cupped side up so that it is stable and put it through the drum sander. Eventually the top surface will flatten out. When this is achieved, invert the piece and sand the other side until it is flat.