Mike's Competition Thread (WIP.....First photos)

[big soft moose]

Bikers on this forum will fully understand, won't you guys?

Roy.

definitely - but what are you doing wasting time on the computer when there are oily bits of engine to play with

my trojan sheep has not yet got off the drawing board either - and may not as swimbo has a list of other things for me to do first

 

[Digit]

Bad back BSM, I follow the creed that others have espoused on the forum with back troubles, change jobs regularly. Anyway it's P*****g down here and I doing part of the work in the garden!

Roy.

 

[MikeG.]

When this:

arrived in the post from Australia, I knew it was time to start this project.

I had a hunt around in my wood store, thinking I had one or two bits of ash......but found I had all this lot:

This should get me a fair way into the project.

I revised my working drawing whilst on the 'phone one day, so this is what I am now working from:

I started by giving all the major structural pieces a letter designation, and picked out my biggest piece of ash for the front rail, which needs to be quite strong. The piece was only 28mm thich, so I planed up a face, cut it in half lengthways, and laminated it. There is going to be a huge amount of lamination in this job, so I had to take an early view on which glue to use. This time, it will be ordinary white woodworkers PVA. I want pale glue lines, obviously, so this rules out the Titebond.........and I can't be doing with the mess of PU in these circumstances. I am going to be using gallons!!!

As soon as I had clamped this lot up (I knew there was a reason I had kept the old B&D Workmate!), I went looking for a catalogue...........I'm going to need lots more clamps!

As a first experiment in steaming, I needed to work out how thick to cut my laminates..............so I borrowed the iron and steamed a thin piece of ash for a minute or two.

It worked pretty well, but I bent too aggressively in one place...........folded rather than bent!!!......it would have worked completely if I had made a proper former. Later I sketched one out, and I guess that is the next job. That and making the steamer.

Mike

 

[OPJ]

Good to see this one's under way, Mike. I don't see a cutting list so, I assume you're working "intuitively", so to speak?

Not sure how long it each lamination will take you but, for what it may be worth to you, Wudcare (available at Axminster) do a fast-setting five-minute PVA, where the strong bond is achieved in ten minutes. They've successfully tested it against creeping and suggest it is ideal for laminations and veneered work... Don't know whether it's available in larger quantities but, it may be worth a look. :wink:

 

[MikeG.]

Good tip Olly..........thanks for that. If I need to spend a few pounds to get my clamp order up to the free-post level I might give the stuff a try, so long as it dries white or clear. Five minutes is a bit nervewracking, though!!

As for a cutting list...........I don't even know exactly what I am making yet, let alone exactly how I am going to be doing it. So yes, a cutting list might only be possible.........but only after I have finished!

Mike

 

[Derek Willis.]

Mike,
Laminating can be good fun, that's how I made the legs for my Drum Table, a couple of months ago I was asked to do some bending for a friend, I drilled and inserted broom handle pegs into an auxilliary bench top, steamed with a steam cleaner and drainpipe, worked very well indeed, good luck with the project.
Derek.

 

[Setch]

Why do you not consider titebond suitable for light glue lines? I've bookmatched several maple or sycamore guitar tops using tightbond, and never had trouble with conspicuous glue lines.

Looking forwards to seeing more progress on this project - I really like your design sketch.

 

[MikeG.]

Setch,

I only have Titebond 3, which dries to a dark brown. I made the mistake of using it on a sycamore project once........I don't know about Titebond no's 1& 2, presumably one of which is the one you used.

Mike

 

[PAC1]

Mike
Are you sure your titebond III is not for use with dark woods in which case it says "dark" on it. I used ordinary titebond III on Maple and Am Cherry the glue line is not an issue.

 

[OPJ]

Titebond II is the dark wood glue. I bought some a few years ago and have never gotten around to actually using it!

Titebond also do an Extend Wood Glue, which is claimed to be ideal for laminations... :wink: There's also a Veneer Glue now although, that doesn't appear to be available from Axminster.

 

[MikeG.]

I'll have a look in the shed this evening and resolve this one..............I'm doubting myself now!

Suffice to say, of the 4 glues available to me I didn't fancy PU.............just too messy and horrible in the panic of trying to glue-up and clamp timber that is all the time trying to unbend itself. I wasn't going to use my Titebond, whichever on, because of the dark glue line. Whateveritscalled-amite is a faff to mix...............so PVA and a big brush was my choice.

Mike

 

[Ironballs]

I've used Titebond 1 on the guitar, dries to a yellowy colour, couldn't see a glue line on the maple top though. One thing to bear in mind about T-bond 1 is that it's recommended for instruments as it doesn't creep and allow movement which T-bond 3 does, making 3 more suitable for furniture where a little flexibility is desired

 

[mickthetree]

Hi Mike

I was at the Salvo fair in Knebworth this wknd just gone, saw this and instantly thought of your project. Its a teak root I think, the guy didnt seem to know much about it.

Maybe good for some inspiration.

 

[kityuser]

this reminds me of something from Pitch black or aliens.


Steve

 

[MikeG.]

Isn't that a stunning object?!! I wonder why it grew cylindrically like that, rather than spreading as a normal root does?

The more I look at it, the more it looks like a Strangler Fig that grew around a tree trunk.......in the same sort of way as ivy does.......The difference is that the strangler fig is self-supporting once the host tree has died.

At the moment, with my laminations coming unglued, I'm thinking I might be best off growing my furniture rather than making it!!!

Mike