YouTube Made (Under-Table) Jigsaw

This is an interesting project mainly because it is a composite of several ideas I picked up from YouTube where other woodworking enthusiasts unselfishly share their ideas for the benefits of many.  I picked what I decided were the good features from about five differently made projects to turn it into what is shown below.

Let me back up.  When I started filling up my small (or petite) workshop years ago there was one tool that I skipped.  Ordinarily, for the majority of DIY woodworkers, they would add the band saw as near last major tool after all the basic machines have been put in. A band saw as the name suggests uses a cutting blade that is a long flat metal band full of teeth over two opposite large pulleys with a downward cutting motion. It will cut curves, circles and slice large pieces into narrower boards.  However, a good band saw is not cheap and it takes up a large volume of space.

Aside from not having the space nor a desire to spend the money, I mainly favor straight lines for my projects in the majority of my blog.  Occasionally if I needed to cut curves or circles I use a hand held jig saw or a router.

Then I saw on YouTube several folks who permanently attached their hand held jigsaw under a platform with just the cutting blade protruding on the surface.  It is a reciprocating cut (blade runs up and down) that looked really interesting. So, instead of running the jigsaw blade over the work piece, one holds down on the work piece with both hands and run it across the reciprocating blade. This allows for far better control and accuracy.  The one thing the band saw cannot do is make an inside cut because of the inherent limitation of a continuous band.  The jigsaw can cut curves and more importantly it can cut from within after a hole is made with a drill from the inside of a work piece.

The challenge is incorporating the design features I picked to work together into a small package, using common material (scrap wood mostly) and turned it into one safe coherent machine that looks nice and truly functional.  I spent many hours not from the actual work but from designing and re-designing it, even changing a part or two midstream, and time even in bed, or waking up in the middle of the night, going over and over the details in my head.

At last, it is finished and miraculously it works. The over arm has an adjustable range to move forward and backward and the support column can be raised upwards or downwards (according to the blade height).  Both are removable. And the ball bearing guides can be adjusted to the thickness of the blade.

 

Many years ago, maybe in the late '80s or '90s, long before online sales, I purchased a hand held jigsaw with a CP (Chicago Pneumatic) label on it. The salesman told me over the phone that the tool that was made in Germany was being discontinued by the manufacturer. Chicago Pneumatic bought a lot of their remaining inventory and put in their own (CP) label on it. The third photo below is that of a Festool jigsaw I purchased a few years ago.  I suspect that, based on the near similarity of design, this new tool was perhaps the newer re-designed tool.  I don't know that for sure.  Anyway, the CP jigsaw was powerful but heavy and not easy to maneuver.  So, I basically "benched" it into storage.  Until recently when this idea came up; hence, the reason for the project  

I removed the shoe to better make a good accurate fit into the bottom of the platform.

The jigsaw as shown from below the platform

With vacuum hose attachment

This was all worth it and glad to have spent the hours making it.  This will not necessarily compel me to cut more curves but it is there when I need to and I know it will serve me well.

Rodent-Proof Bird Feeder

Unlike bird houses which require specific designs depending on the species of birds, bird feeders may be free-styled to suit the builder's whim.  Really.  Well, except for humming bird feeders, of course.  Feeders for seed-eating birds are typically free-standing as opposed to hanging types (again, humming birds come to mind).  

One thing to consider with a feeder on a stand is its vulnerability to rodents (squirrels, mice, even rats). Rodents come with the territory, literally and figuratively, with yard feeders.  You might think that putting up feeders attract these pests - yes - but feeders or none, in rural or urban settings, these rodents are always out there patrolling the areas in the dead of night.  If you have security cameras (with infrared sensors), check the playback at after midnight to dawn and you'd be surprised at what you will see, which includes field mice and "el raton" occasionally and raccoons and possums. Squirrels, of course, are day-raiders.

Rodent-proofing with paste wax and (not shown in photo) smearing petroleum jelly (Vaseline) four inches at bottom and top of PVC pipe.  

This project was made even more worthwhile from the amusement I derived from the video playback the first two nights when several climbing attempts were foiled in comedic style.  What is kind of a mystery though is that since then all visitations had stopped during subsequent playbacks hence.  I know these night raiders don't easily get discouraged.  It is either they no longer want to provide the nightly entertainment or some predator, like a raccoon, or the neighborhood cat that occasionally comes around had put a stop to the visiting rodents.  I miss the jump and slide routine.

Bird table manners though have much to be desired.  So I added four shallow walls and perches.

I built this feeder for sparrows, not necessarily for the more popular cardinal or blue jay.  The sparrows don't really have  any kind of advocacy from home owners but they are feeders too.

Update: My son just sent me a Youtube video of squirrels getting through an obstacle course to get to the feed.  Now, I am convinced my feeder is not squirrel-proof.  Fortunately, they don't go out at night and during the day they never come by; besides, they have so much more to feed on from acorns off plenty of oak trees and other fruit bearing trees.

However, as far as squirrels are concerned, if you make the PVC pole long and tall enough and set the feeder far enough away from where these rodents have a launching pad to jump from - such as a nearby branch or window sill, etc. - then this can truly be rodent proof for all species.  The floor wax paste and petroleum jelly are that effective, 100%!