Post a photo of the last thing you made

[Ilya]

First wood working attempts - a couple of planters an side tables (the bench is not mine work though)))

 

[BentonTool]

I mounted the saw till yesterday, and started filling it up. My little "wood-shop corner" is starting to come together. Now, I have to make four drawers!
Then, I have to build the left door for my plane cabinet (on right below)...
Then, put some doors on the larger horizontal plane cabinet (the one with the infill planes in the center below). No lack of projects!
Then... I have to make myself a respectable workbench!

 

[supertom44]

Last year I moved my coffee set up from my kitchen to my dining room to give me more room in the kitchen.
The problem with this was that my dining room table was too low for a comfortable working height, so I purchased some risers, which have worked fine but are pretty ugly.

So I finally got round to making a rise with storage that my coffee machine can sit on top of bringing it to a better height.
The main objective for this project (other than the above) was to try cutting finger joints on the table saw and also try doing stopped dados.
Had to do a few gap fills here and there but nothing too major.

I ran out of time/effort/wood when it came to the draws, but I do have a lot of clear acrylic, so cut some trays out on the laser cutter.
Two for storage and one as a knock box (where you empty used coffee grounds into).
I designed the finger pulls to fit my portafilter as a stand.
I'd like to redo the trays with some nice joinery at some point, but for now these will do.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I mounted the saw till yesterday, and started filling it up. My little "wood-shop corner" is starting to come together. Now, I have to make four drawers!
Then, I have to build the left door for my plane cabinet (on right below)...
Then, put some doors on the larger horizontal plane cabinet (the one with the infill planes in the center below). No lack of projects!
Then... I have to make myself a respectable workbench!

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Your workshop is looking incredible. I have to ask the question though is the workshop the main project or is it preparing for something else? I’m not intending this to be a rude question just genuinely interested.

 

[kinverkid]

Continuing my work on the saw till over the last few days.

At the risk of thoroughly boring the experienced woodworkers out there, I will post a few pics of the process I took. Perhaps some will find it interesting. I have been trying to use hand tools as much as practicable, and enjoying it very much!

I have been encouraging some of my local woodworker friends to come back from "the dark side" (power-tool woodworking ), admittedly, with little success. (I hope my humour does not offend!)
Please forgive my haughtiness, as I just endeavour to enlighten those who have had no exposure to the benefits and joys of hand-tool use. Some of my woodworker friends do not even own a plane!

I found the final glue-up challenging, but I am decidedly out of practice. In fact, I made a terrible mistake: I placed the dados in the wrong place and wasted a day figuring out how to recover from that.
Does anyone else use cut nails? Cheers!

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I don't use cut nails but I thought I might share this with you. The village and area where I live have a history of nail-making that goes back hundreds of years. These nail posts are dotted along the High Street outside the shops and pubs. They're handy for tying your dog, bike, or horse to while shopping.

 

[Yojevol]

I mounted the saw till yesterday, and started filling it up. My little "wood-shop corner" is starting to come together. Now, I have to make four drawers!
Then, I have to build the left door for my plane cabinet (on right below)...
Then, put some doors on the larger horizontal plane cabinet (the one with the infill planes in the center below). No lack of projects!
Then... I have to make myself a respectable workbench!

You appear to be a bit of a tool magpie

 

[Jameshow]

You appear to be a bit of a tool magpie

Aren't we all!!

 

[paulrbarnard]

Aren't we all!!

I’m building extra tool boxes today

 

[BentonTool]

Last year I moved my coffee set up from my kitchen to my dining room to give me more room in the kitchen.
The problem with this was that my dining room table was too low for a comfortable working height, so I purchased some risers, which have worked fine but are pretty ugly.

So I finally got round to making a rise with storage that my coffee machine can sit on top of bringing it to a better height.
The main objective for this project (other than the above) was to try cutting finger joints on the table saw and also try doing stopped dados.
Had to do a few gap fills here and there but nothing too major.

I ran out of time/effort/wood when it came to the draws, but I do have a lot of clear acrylic, so cut some trays out on the laser cutter.
Two for storage and one as a knock box (where you empty used coffee grounds into).
I designed the finger pulls to fit my portafilter as a stand.
I'd like to redo the trays with some nice joinery at some point, but for now these will do.
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Nice job! These are the kind of small projects that add exceptional usefulness to a home, IMHO. A lot of "bang for the buck", if you will! And attractive to boot!
I like that timber (looks something like the grain pattern we see in yellow pine here, but more on the pale side).
I need to learn more about working with plastics, to round out my skills.

 

[BentonTool]

Your workshop is looking incredible. I have to ask the question though is the workshop the main project or is it preparing for something else? I’m not intending this to be a rude question just genuinely interested.

Hello again Paul,
Well, as I said before, I have been out of the wood shop for decades, so I have had a lot of time to think about it!
Your question is not rude at all. As an aside, I have found that the British, in general, are some of the more polite people I have ever encountered.
I have been buying a lot of tools at garage sales, flea markets, auctions, and from a friend in London for decades. I have them all boxed-up on the second floor of my shop. I really enjoy restoring old tools. I had thought that I would sell on eBay in my retirement, but eBay is not as attractive a platform as it was in days past.
What you see in the pictures of my current shop is perhaps one-quarter or one-third of my collection. I have far too much stuff given my age. I need to start selling soon. So, I need to have a somewhat organized place to do that work.
I also need to finish projects that I started before we moved out to the country 25 years ago. I have a "four-poster" cannonball bed that I started for my wife, and never finished. God bless her, she slept on a mattress on the floor for a long time! Perhaps she is more patient than I give her credit for...
I also have an addiction to old flat-belt drive woodworking and metalworking machinery. I have many machines that will require restoration...
Unfortunately, I did not factor-in getting old! Now, I find it takes me twice as long to get half as much accomplished! I also have a lot of maintenance chores around here on the "farm" that distract me.
I have many & eclectic interests, and am always looking to learn to do something that I do not know how to do.
Wish me luck!

This is the second floor of my shop. In addition, I have a forty foot shipping container full of tools...

You appear to be a bit of a tool magpie

Yes, decidedly... see my response to PaulRBarnard above...

 

[BentonTool]

I don't use cut nails but I thought I might share this with you. The village and area where I live have a history of nail-making that goes back hundreds of years. These nail posts are dotted along the High Street outside the shops and pubs. They're handy for tying your dog, bike, or horse to while shopping.

Thank you for that. Not long ago, I read something about your nail industry... fascinating, IMO! Sadly, it was destroyed by the "wire nail" industry, but wire nails are nowhere near as good (for furniture) as cut nails. Most people are not aware that craftsmen of old used cut nails extensively, including the Shakers.
There has been somewhat of a resurgence in the industry here in the USA. Most notably, this company:

 

[paulrbarnard]

Hello again Paul,
Well, as I said before, I have been out of the wood shop for decades, so I have had a lot of time to think about it!
Your question is not rude at all. As an aside, I have found that the British, in general, are some of the more polite people I have ever encountered.
I have been buying a lot of tools at garage sales, flea markets, auctions, and from a friend in London for decades. I have them all boxed-up on the second floor of my shop. I really enjoy restoring old tools. I had thought that I would sell on eBay in my retirement, but eBay is not as attractive a platform as it was in days past.
What you see in the pictures of my current shop is perhaps one-quarter or one-third of my collection. I have far too much stuff given my age. I need to start selling soon. So, I need to have a somewhat organized place to do that work.
I also need to finish projects that I started before we moved out to the country 25 years ago. I have a "four-poster" cannonball bed that I started for my wife, and never finished. God bless her, she slept on a mattress on the floor for a long time! Perhaps she is more patient than I give her credit for...
I also have an addiction to old flat-belt drive woodworking and metalworking machinery. I have many machines that will require restoration...
Unfortunately, I did not factor-in getting old! Now, I find it takes me twice as long to get half as much accomplished! I also have a lot of maintenance chores around here on the "farm" that distract me.
I have many & eclectic interests, and am always looking to learn to do something that I do not know how to do.
Wish me luck!
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This is the second floor of my shop. In addition, I have a forty foot shipping container full of tools...
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Yes, decidedly... see my response to PaulRBarnard above...

Good grief your wife is an angel. I have one small workshop which is “full of way too many things you will never use” according to my wife.

The whole retirement thing is a bit of a pipe dream in reality. You finally get to the point where you can afford to buy a few tool, have some time on your hands but then as you say you get half as much done in twice the time.

In theory I could retire next year but I’m still loving the day job. I will probably work a few more years to guaranty I’m too decrepit to make anything useful.

But at least I discovered I need a new tool yesterday. I built a tool tote which was glued and nailed. I need a nail gun!!!!

 

[BentonTool]

Good grief your wife is an angel. I have one small workshop which is “full of way too many things you will never use” according to my wife.

The whole retirement thing is a bit of a pipe dream in reality. You finally get to the point where you can afford to buy a few tool, have some time on your hands but then as you say you get half as much done in twice the time.

In theory I could retire next year but I’m still loving the day job. I will probably work a few more years to guaranty I’m too decrepit to make anything useful.

But at least I discovered I need a new tool yesterday. I built a tool tote which was glued and nailed. I need a nail gun!!!!

My wife has made the same comment to me!
However, I wish I had retired sooner!
Nail guns, like power tools, are at times, essential bits of kit, IMO!

 

[Ilya]

To the workshop photos. Took me almost a year on weekends

Was it a necessity or simply a justification)

 

[velar]

First completed effort - made a small box for my son's MTG playing cards - worktop cutoffs I bought in a job lot on eBay and some inlay from coloured veneers. Had no idea sapele comes up so nice when you oil it!

As an aside - does anybody know a clever technique/hack for matching angles when doing inlay bands that aren't at 90% (and/or might be a few degrees off anyway)? Even on this one when it's "simple" 45º cuts the matching isn't quite right and I'm planning something a bit more intricate with the next project. I'd be grateful for any advice - I have one of those minds that really can't see the simple solutions half the time

 

[Yojevol]

1. First completed effort - made a small box for my son's MTG playing cards - worktop cutoffs I bought in a job lot on eBay and some inlay from coloured veneers. Had no idea sapele comes up so nice when you oil it!

As an aside - does anybody know a clever technique/hack for matching angles when doing inlay bands that aren't at 90% (and/or might be a few degrees off anyway)? Even on this one when it's "simple" 45º cuts the matching isn't quite right and I'm planning something a bit more intricate with the next project. I'd be grateful for any advice - I have one of those minds that really can't see the simple solutions half the time

Re your mitre angles, here is a method worth having a trial go at

1. Produce the inlay trench to your required width and mitre angle
2. Prepare a stock of inlay veneer
3. Lay in overlong veneer strips such that they overlap at the mitre (you may have to tape them down)
4. Lay a ruler straight edge from corner to corner along the mitre line
5. Cut through both inlay strips

Never done it myself but it seems feasible
Brian

 

[BentonTool]

First completed effort - made a small box for my son's MTG playing cards - worktop cutoffs I bought in a job lot on eBay and some inlay from coloured veneers. Had no idea sapele comes up so nice when you oil it!

As an aside - does anybody know a clever technique/hack for matching angles when doing inlay bands that aren't at 90% (and/or might be a few degrees off anyway)? Even on this one when it's "simple" 45º cuts the matching isn't quite right and I'm planning something a bit more intricate with the next project. I'd be grateful for any advice - I have one of those minds that really can't see the simple solutions half the time

Not quite right? Very fine work IMO... I am sure your son is very pleased!
Projects this small are quite difficult to execute, again, IMO.
I have discovered a truism in my woodworking: I am the most critical scrutinizer of my own work.
Most people do not notice the little things... .

 

[Stigmorgan]

Not quite right? Very fine work IMO... I am sure your son is very pleased!
Projects this small are quite difficult to execute, again, IMO.
I have discovered a truism in my woodworking: I am the most critical scrutinizer of my own work.
Most people do not notice the little things... .

I think most people who care about their work tend to be their own biggest critic, I always aim for perfection but to my mind never quite reach it, there's always that one little thing that absolutely nobody else will ever notice.

 

[donturner]

I got fed up of the kids blocking the stairs when they're putting their shoes on so I designed and built a bench for our hallway. It's the first piece of furniture I've designed and built from scratch. Top and slats are oak. Frame is pine, painted white to match our staircase. The small inlay is a Jay from white maple (cut on my cheapo 3018 CNC).

Some things I learned from the build:

- Getting accurate mortice and tenons is tough. My joints were so loose on my first attempt that I ended up scrapping the whole frame and starting again.
- The angled legs made it much more difficult to get the frame completely square and the joints tight. There's probably some technique to this which I'm missing.
- I hate working with pine. It's so soft that the slightest ding leaves a permanent mark. I also felt like my chisels/plane irons were never sharp enough to cut pine end grain. Maybe I just need to work on my sharpening game.
- I got the slats to fit pretty well by routing a rebate in stretchers, putting the slats on the stretchers, then glueing equally sized wooden spacers such that the slats were flush with each one. Once the glue started to dry I carefully removed the slats so that the stretchers could be painted, then replaced the slats after painting for a nice flush fit. The video shows this.
- The plan was done in Fusion 360 and I found it very useful for being able to change one dimension and have all dependent dimensions be updated automatically.

Any tips (or criticism!) gratefully received. Very much still learning.

 

[Fitzroy]

I got fed up of the kids blocking the stairs when they're putting their shoes on so I designed and built a bench for our hallway. It's the first piece of furniture I've designed and built from scratch. Top and slats are oak. Frame is pine, painted white to match our staircase. The small inlay is a Jay from white maple (cut on my cheapo 3018 CNC).

Some things I learned from the build:

- Getting accurate mortice and tenons is tough. My joints were so loose on my first attempt that I ended up scrapping the whole frame and starting again.
- The angled legs made it much more difficult to get the frame completely square and the joints tight. There's probably some technique to this which I'm missing.
- I hate working with pine. It's so soft that the slightest ding leaves a permanent mark. I also felt like my chisels/plane irons were never sharp enough to cut pine end grain. Maybe I just need to work on my sharpening game.
- I got the slats to fit pretty well by routing a rebate in stretchers, putting the slats on the stretchers, then glueing equally sized wooden spacers such that the slats were flush with each one. Once the glue started to dry I carefully removed the slats so that the stretchers could be painted, then replaced the slats after painting for a nice flush fit. The video shows this.
- The plan was done in Fusion 360 and I found it very useful for being able to change one dimension and have all dependent dimensions be updated automatically.

Any tips (or criticism!) gratefully received. Very much still learning.

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I find in pine I need to mark the mortises fractionally undersized, they then come out good, else they are sloppy. I think it’s the softer wood.

I love the inlay, but you need the bench to other way vs the radiator else you can’t see it.

F.