Competition entry WIP - making the most of what you have

[Paul Chapman]

I've been doing a bit more work on my round oak table for the competition. Well, planing really - and more planing - then more. Good job I enjoy planing

This sort of thing

When you have to prepare stuff like oak from rough sawn boards, it teaches you a lot about planing and, in particular, how to set up your planes. For stock removal, I'm using these three planes which are set up as scrub planes

I regularly check with winding sticks like this

Once the #7 scrub has done it's job, a few shavings with my finely set Clifton #7 finishes off the job.

I'm a bit disappointed with the oak I bought a couple of years ago. I fear it might have been kiln dried, and not very well. When I bought it, it wasn't stored inside so I assumed it had been air dried. It has a few defects but I'll have to work around those, because I can't afford to waste it. Fingers crossed :roll:

I'll post another progress report when I've done a bit more.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

Paul Chapman wrote:

might have been kiln dried, and not very well.

Paul - oak looks OK in the pics but it's difficult to tell. If it's been kilned too quickly it'll be full of small splits and cracks which is a bit of a pain - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul Chapman wrote:

might have been kiln dried, and not very well.

Paul - oak looks OK in the pics but it's difficult to tell. If it's been kilned too quickly it'll be full of small splits and cracks which is a bit of a pain -

Yes, Rob, that's what I'm finding. It looked OK when I bought it and I've stored it carefully but now that I'm working on it I'm finding a few splits and cracks. If it doesn't get any worse I might be able to work around it. It does make you cross, though, because wood's not cheap.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DarrenW]

Hi All,

I've had similar problems with the Oak I got for my Competition entry. But problems are mainly due to my own stupidity.

I bought a selection of 1inch and 2inch boards, all air dried for just over 2 years. First time I have bought alot of timber, normal pick up the odd board here an there. Anyway, purchased nice air dried oak in Feb and stuck it spare bedroom to settle for a good couple of months before starting work. Unfortunately forgot to turn the radiator off in the room (assuming that would have helped ?), so after 4 days the 2 inch stock had a nice 8 inch split at both ends :evil:. On a positive note the 1inch stuff is fine.

Was not happy, but my own stupid fault.

So ever since then its been a battle to find the right timber for each part of the build. Why does it always split and crack in the nice clean bits of wood and not near all the knots :?

Anyway getting there slowly (its a steep learning curve). I'll start a WIP page soon for more stats on the build.

Darren

 

[woodbloke]

Darren - I think that going from an air dried environment in Feb (wet, so MC would be quite high) to a heated indoor room was probably a little too much, better I think to have put the oak into a cooler room without heating for a couple of months and then into a moderately warmer room for final conditioning - Rob

 

[DarrenW]

Rob,

Yep... I think lesson truely learnt!

Its quite a cool room and did turn the radiator off after spotting the cracks, but damage was done by that point! #-o

Darren

 

[Waka]

Paul

Great progress report, just a shame about the oak.

 

[Paul Chapman]

In my last update I mentioned that I was rather disappointed with the oak I was using for my table top as it appeared to have a few defects, suggesting possibly that it had been kiln-dried but not very well. In the event my worst fears were confirmed - the more I planed it the more cracks and splits appeared. The wood appeared to be full of internal stresses which were being released as it was planed. There was clearly no point in continuing with it and I was feeling quite depressed after having spent a considerable sum of money on the wood and done a lot of work on it

However, it's at times like these that real friends appear, as if by magic Dom Valente sent me a PM saying that he had some nice, dry European oak that I could use if it would help me. So this morning I drove over to Dom's lovely workshop and came back with some really nice boards that will be perfect for the table top. Here's a picture of Dom in his workshop

Thanks again, Dom, I'm very, very grateful to you.

I also received some very helpful PMs from Paul (Chisel) and Mike B and I'd like to say a big thanks to you as well. There are some very nice people on here

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[ByronBlack]

Well done Dom - always good to hear forum members helping each other out.

Interesting pic - ruined my image of Dom being a mafia boss

 

[woodbloke]

BB wrote:

Interesting pic - ruined my image of Dom being a mafia boss

it's only business.....cue music :lol: - Rob

 

[Scrit]

Byron

You're right. It's really terrible to have one's mental images cast aside so wantonly. I've always had this mental picture of Dom as the only member of this forum who dresses in a chalk stripe blue apron, black shirt, white tie and steel-toecap spats.........

Scrit

 

[woodbloke]

....or do you think Dom's a slightly older version of my son at the weekends :lol: :lol: - Rob

 

[DomValente]

Okay justa seen thisa post and I suggest youse guys go to da mattresses.

Paul you are most welcome, good to meet up again, might I suggest a camera that could make me pretty next time

Dom

 

[engineer one]

but dom, if the italians don't make cameras, how can such a thing exist :lol: :twisted: :roll:

nice clean shop area though

yet another
paul :wink:

 

[Paul Chapman]

might I suggest a camera that could make me pretty next time

Sorry Dom but I was concentrating on the Felders :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DomValente]

Thanks for the Grappa Paul, it will hit the spot, usually have a nip just before the shoulder holster goes on :twisted:

Dom

 

[Scrit]

usually have a nip just before the shoulder holster goes on :twisted:

Odd place to keep a cordless, Dom. But then I don't normally drill anyone with my screw shooter :roll:

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks for the Grappa Paul,

You are very welcome, Dom :wink: In my house nobody else likes the stuff, so I get to drink it all myself I always have a bottle or three lying around the place :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Following a very enjoyable morning with Dom yesterday, I spent an equally enjoyable time with Paul (aka Chisel) this morning at his lovely house, garden and workshop. I also met his lovely wife and their whippet called Lottie. Blimey, Lottie can move when the mood takes her :shock: :lol: Good job Paul has a big garden.

Paul had a lot of reclaimed oak floorboards (along with rather a lot of other wood :shock: The last time I saw that much wood, it was called Yandles :lol: ). He very kindly said I could have some. Laminated together I will be able to use them for the legs and under rails of my table.

Here's a picture of me cutting some to length so that I could get them in the car. I was using Paul's very nice DeWalt sliding mitre thingy

Paul has a very nice workshop and some very droolworthy equipment. In particular he has a lathe which most wood turners would die for. I can't remember the name of it but it was probably built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel :shock:

In the background you can see some of Paul's turning blanks. Believe me, there are plenty more :shock: :lol:

When I arrived Paul was finishing off fitting one of his large Record bench vices. The end vice has been fitted and works very nicely and in this picture Paul was trying on the front wooden face that he had laminated. Still needs trimming to size and drilling for a bench dog. He's made a good job of it

Thanks again, Paul, your generosity and hospitality was very much appreciated.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[paulm]

Good to have you round Paul and looking forwards to seeing some more of your table project.

Can recommend the lathe to any would be turners out there, for information it's a WivaMac from that ever so nice bloke Peter Helmsley at the Toolpost http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/index.html Made in Belgium and shipped across the channel in Peter's Transit, he does loads of turning and general woodworking accessories too.

Hope to post some pics later of the vice fitting, but won't hijack your thread !

Cheers, Paul.