Cutting Large Irregular Pieces

Ripping a wide piece into narrower pieces on the table saw is what it is very good for but only for as long as there is already one side that is straight flat. Irregular shapes would still be no problem by using a sled. A wide circular piece as this one here -  3 ft diameter - that I wanted to cut into narrower rectangles poses a different challenge.

I fastened with screws one section of the circle into a straight edged piece as shown

The key here is for the piece itself to be flat on the table saw while the "sled" is riding on it but flat against the fence.

Keeping the edge of the riding "sled" flat against the fence insures that the cut will be straight on the work piece.  And since the work piece itself is flat on the table saw, it is a much safer way to do it. After this operation the pieces can then be cut to the desired dimension/s.

Hurry Up Project

My small workshop had to be re-organized  - again. Needed to make a low stand alone shelf where a couple of bench tools can be "parked". This is a hurry up project for an afternoon, so pocket hole joinery is the quickest way to put this project together. I've mentioned this before on an earlier blog that pocket hole joinery is the quickest way a novice woodworker can put together a project fairly quickly that will be robust and even aesthetically pleasing in a fairly short time. And a pocket hole jig is inexpensive.

I purchased 3 pieces of 2 X 4 X 96 inch (8 ft long) studs from the home center  for a total of about $10. 

First order of business is to cut them to manageable pieces with a hand saw (here, my favorite is a Japanese razor saw). It will be easier to handle them on the table saw.  Besides, it also takes care of slightly bent stock. In other words the cut off pieces will be straighter than he full length. Make sure to cut rough lengths that exceed the final dimensions of the pieces.

Note: For those without a table saw, a miter saw (cheaper but capable tool) will suffice by simply purchasing "dressed" lumber - those with flat sides on all four - that only needs to be cut off to lengths. Slightly costlier but saves the steps I did here, using the table saw.

These studs have rounded corners so first order of business is to rip one side trimming it flat

Trim the other side so now they're all 2-3/4 wide pieces. Cut the various lengths: 40 inch long for the two rails, 22 inch for the four posts and 10-1/2 for the four cross pieces. Measure and cut the center cross piece later.

Dry fitting

Drilling the pocket holes on the rails and cross pieces

Not completely shown is a full length bar clamp but typically a vise grip is all that's needed to hold the joinery while driving the screws. Since I have the bar clamps it is just quicker to have both ends taken care of.

A right angle chuck for the drill is indeed a huge helper when driving into tight spaces

Two equal vertical spacers  accurately positioned the lower cross pieces.

Note: The Krenov saw horses in the back ground were made using pocket hole joinery.

I started this project after lunch and finished by 5:00 p.m. with a coffee break in between. A hurry up project that is rigidly strong.

This will later have a plywood top.

Micro Projrct for Micro Tools

For over a few years now I did several micro projects as stands for small household items that ordinarily get shoved into drawers or laid on the kitchen table or desk: pocket knives, small flashlight, pens and pencils, etc. We all know what happens when we need them. It's a lot easier to find them when they're out in the open or when there is a power failure at night, you'd know where that little flashlight is.

A hobbyist woodworker has the advantage of being able to dabble in all kinds of projects - from big to small, from macro projects like a bed or desk to micro ones. I find micro projects a great destination for scrap wood. While I throw away a good amount of scrap, usually soft wood, I hold on to pieces of hard wood or exotic ones, as was the case here.

This project is appropriate because it is a stand or holder of a handful of micro tools, such as the sets of screw drivers and a pair of tweezers with tiny magnifying glass (very handy when I get a splinter) to fix the hinges on eye glasses. Micro tools are a must for replacing small batteries on small gadget controls, even watches, etc.

NOTE: While the reader is not expected to do a project exactly like this one, the techniques and tips here are worth noting.

Micro projects may be small but they require the same precision if not more so sometimes.

The base holder of this set of micro tools is a pentagon. Cutting miters to 36 deg. at each end of five equal pieces make a pentagon.

Tip: Rubber bands are perfect clamping tools for small pieces like this.

I laminated a light colored hardwood - pink flame - with walnut pieces.

Tip: Use a spacer along the saw fence to trim off uneven ends.

This is where a router table is so valuable. 

Tip: The only safe way to trim or cut off small pieces is to clamp it on a sliding sled. A long time ago I spent the time to make this jig exactly for the purpose of dealing with small pieces.  It comes in handy when you need, so keep it close by.

A bench hook, which I covered earlier is simply a good accessory on standby , such as when you need to do some some sanding of small pieces.

The next two photos below shows how much time I spent to figure out how the screw diver set will "seat" properly on the stand. 

If I may say so myself I thought this was a clever idea. 

A snapshot of the micro pieces which are obviously not ordinarily located in one place but were made to huddle here for a photo shoot. I'm sure I'll do another one when the need arises.

Attic Door Cover 6th Gen

I had covered the construction of this attic door cover in my previous blogs. This is the 6th generation version for my friend's new home. Attic door covers are even more relevant today. Although it is a small part in the energy saving scheme of things at home, it is a worthy item to add to the woodworker's repertoire. As always, a newer version has better construction technique, such as better joinery for a much sturdier frame. But as in the previous versions the idea is the same. The attic for most homes is a major source for "energy leakage". The standard cover that comes with the attic ladder  insufficiently covers the gap between the inside of the house and the attic. In the winter heat escapes through that gap from inside the house to the attic; in the summer, heat from the attic migrates to the inside of the house, making the air conditioning system work harder.

The first version for our home is shown here. The attic cover sits on the opening, insulated but separate from the ladder and cover (which I also insulated)

As in the past, I find it economical to buy wider board material and rip them to width (1-1/4 in). The frame will be made from these pieces.

For this version I am using half lap joinery to join the parts. A stack dado blade will make quick work of cutting the half-laps.

Before cutting the half dadoes it is best - trust me, this was from experience -  to patiently lay out the pieces before making the cuts, almost one at a time.  Patience here is the ultimate virtue.

Laying the parts out, dry fitting them, and exercising patience over and over will pay off.

Glue up must also be planned in specific sequences. Again, it must be planned because the parts had to come together in a particular order.

The wood working adage, "One can never have too much clamps" is always true. Better to have more than be short one clamp. Note: the Krenov saw horse is more invaluable than the standard work bench by allowing the clamps to be positioned a lot more freely.

As a side note the half lap is the perfect way to join shorter pieces of stock to make a longer one. Here, I actually made a mistake in cutting a long piece short and I no longer had the longer stock to make another one. 

Tip On Joining Plywood: Instead of buying one whole 4 X 8 ft sheet of 1/4 inch plywood, I purchased one 4 X 4 and one 2 X 4. Not only is it easier to take out of the home center and into the car, it is also a lot easier and safer to cut on the table saw. But there is a downside. To fit the different sides of the frame there was need to cut and join the pieces. Not a problem. A half lap joinery makes one strong joint, especially since the pieces will be glued and pin-nailed to the frame. Once put in, the finished "shell" will not "know" the difference.

The sturdy frame is now with 1/4 inch plywood shell.  I may have slightly over-engineered this one.  Come to think of it, I may have indeed over-engineered this one. 

This is what the cover will look like viewed from the attic side. It will sit on a gasket seal - isolating the attic from the interior of the home. This Generation 6 has more heft than the previous ones so it will have sufficient weight bearing down on the gasket.

Once the Styrofoam insulation is added to the inside it will look similar to the first version shown below.