I've plunked around in woodworking for several years but became serious
about a year & a half ago. I've built a couple of decent pieces of furniture
the last 6 months or so.Anyway the wife wanted me to build a entertainment
center. Since I've never tackled anything that large or complicated I told
her I'd build a small one first for the computer room to put tv, stereo and
other equipment on. I picked up a couple of sheets of birch ply this weekend
and planned on using scrap oak to trim it out with. It's turning out halfway
decent and I've covered several opps but here are a few things I've learned.
Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before you cut
measure again.
If using a tape measure use the same one all the way through the project.
Don't apply Gel stain when it's over 90 degrees in the shop (dries before
you get to wipe it off)
Make sure you know what size brads are in the nail gun (when you use them to
toenail shelves into the
sides to hold while the glue dries).
Probably a few more to add but those few stick in my mind after this
weekend.
--
Mike S.
[email protected]
http://members.tripod.com/n0yii/woodworking.htm
If they stick in your mind, your head was too close! ;-)
BRuce
Mike S. wrote:
> I've plunked around in woodworking for several years but became serious
> about a year & a half ago. I've built a couple of decent pieces of furniture
> the last 6 months or so.Anyway the wife wanted me to build a entertainment
> center. Since I've never tackled anything that large or complicated I told
> her I'd build a small one first for the computer room to put tv, stereo and
> other equipment on. I picked up a couple of sheets of birch ply this weekend
> and planned on using scrap oak to trim it out with. It's turning out halfway
> decent and I've covered several opps but here are a few things I've learned.
> Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before you cut
> measure again.
> If using a tape measure use the same one all the way through the project.
> Don't apply Gel stain when it's over 90 degrees in the shop (dries before
> you get to wipe it off)
> Make sure you know what size brads are in the nail gun (when you use them to
> toenail shelves into the
> sides to hold while the glue dries).
> Probably a few more to add but those few stick in my mind after this
> weekend.
>
--
---
BRuce
1. Keep a jar of saw dust in your shop. When you buy a new tool, throw
a bunch of the saw dust on it. That way, when SWMBO sees the tool she
won't say "Hey, that looks like a new tool" implying, of course, that
it was not money well spent and she gets an equivalent amount.
2. Every third piece of furniture should be for SWMBO. SWMBO should be
asked questions like "Would you like four drawers or eight?" and "Do
you think your crystal glass and your collector's dishes would fit on
this shelf?"
3. Put a thinking chair in the shop. The chair doesn't think, you
think while in it.
4. Never go to the shop with dirty dishes in the sink. Priorities are
funny things. For you to get to your first priority, you better do the
last priority first.
5. Always leave enough room in your garage-turned-woodshop for SWMBO's
car.
6. SWMBO doesn't care about router horsepower.
7. Cabinets and drawers hide a lot from SWMBO. Years can go by without
SWMBO ever noticing thousands of dollars of new Bosch, Milwaukee, and
Port-Cable tools. Of course the big tools are harder to hide. Those
might require diplomatic and/or romantic skills.
[snip]
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> None of that stuff matters. I measured twice to cut 6 pieces the same
> length. Five were 59 5/8" and one was 58 5/8".
Probaly didn't matter if they were all 59 5/8 or 59 7/8
as long as they were all the same length. Having an 8 inch
wide table that's 6 feet to the left of the blade and a stop
block sure helps. All that assumes we're not talking stuff
wider than 12" for a 12" CMS.
charlie b
In article <[email protected]>,
Phil Hansen <[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <Lq%[email protected]>,
>[email protected] says...
>> Way too simple. If you quit using your brain it may fall off.
>> ;~)
>That explains why 'I can see clearly now the brain is gone' ;)
And, for those with automation issues, 'On a clear disk, you can seek forever'.
"Phil Hansen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
> > Use metric for making stairs and fitting kitchens or -if you are a
> > manufacturer and timber salesman, for giving short measure. Work in
> > English. Two by four or 3 x 2 etc. Full English measures are rough sawn.
> > Finished or "ex" sizes are 5 mm narrower and thinner.
>
> I buy timber as 152x25 or 114x25 or 152x38 etc.
> Do not have to worry about converting 2x4 etc.
> Plan metric, buy metric, measure metric. Easy
Yeah.... 2x4 is way too hard to remember.. LOL
> >
> > > Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before
> > > you cut measure again.
> >
> > I think I'd make fewer mistakes if I switched over to metric. ;-)
> 8th's,
> > 16th's, adding 1/4" to 3/16" -- Bah, humbug!
>
> Yeah, like 1/4mm + 3/16 mm would be easier. ;~)
>
> I have a problem with what kind of ___meter to measure with. Do you use
> millimeters, centimeters, decameters? Seems 8 feet is easer to say and
> remember than say 2438.4mm.
None of that stuff matters. I measured twice to cut 6 pieces the same
length. Five were 59 5/8" and one was 58 5/8".
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
"Phil Hansen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Anyway you may not agree now but one day you will (LOL)
>
Naw, I believe durring the Jimmy Carter years that was tried and it was not
accepted. Way too simple. If you quit using your brain it may fall off.
;~)
>
> --
>
> Phillip Hansen
> Skil-Phil Solutions
>
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
>
> Yeah, like 1/4mm + 3/16 mm would be easier. ;~)
When you work in mm's you work in mm's or if in metalworking decimal
units thereof.
1/4mm is 0.0090" - read that on your rule!
1 mm is the smallest unit (usually) used in woodworking
Design something which is 1800w * 700h * 300d.
Easy.
The conversion is screwing you up.
Start from basics. Design in metric, work in metric.
Easy
3mm + 19mm is a lot easier than 1/8" + 3/4" to work out.
Anyway you may not agree now but one day you will (LOL)
--
Phillip Hansen
Skil-Phil Solutions
In article <Lq%[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Way too simple. If you quit using your brain it may fall off.
> ;~)
That explains why 'I can see clearly now the brain is gone' ;)
--
Phillip Hansen
Skil-Phil Solutions
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Use metric for making stairs and fitting kitchens or -if you are a
> manufacturer and timber salesman, for giving short measure. Work in
> English. Two by four or 3 x 2 etc. Full English measures are rough sawn.
> Finished or "ex" sizes are 5 mm narrower and thinner.
I buy timber as 152x25 or 114x25 or 152x38 etc.
Do not have to worry about converting 2x4 etc.
Plan metric, buy metric, measure metric. Easy
--
Phillip Hansen
Skil-Phil Solutions
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Yeah.... 2x4 is way too hard to remember.. LOL
No more. This could go on forever <G>
To be honest I still sometimes think in inches but much prefer metric.
--
Phillip Hansen
Skil-Phil Solutions
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Mike S. wrote:
>
>> Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before
>> you cut measure again.
>
> I think I'd make fewer mistakes if I switched over to metric. ;-)
> 8th's, 16th's, adding 1/4" to 3/16" -- Bah, humbug!
>
> Anyone else? <g>
>
> -- Mark
I think I do best when I mark using the project itself, rather than a ruler
or tape. At least when that's feasible, and almost always as a check
against the measured number.
Spacer blocks, rather than ruker marks, were what I used on the simple
biscuited and faceframed bookshelf today. Everything came out nice and
square and even for a change. ;-)
Patriarch,
who couldn't tell you without some serious math head scratching whether
10mm is more or less than 3/8". Or by looking at a set of end wrenches.
Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before you cut
> measure again.
To this I might add - stop and make sure that what you are measuring is
really what you want to measure (or measure from). I had a case where I
measured and measured and measured. After I cut the piece it still didn't
fit because I actually started my measurement 3/8" from where I should have.
Since the cuts were dadoes in a sheet of 1/2 mahogany plywood, this one
rated four full expletives when it didn't fit (there would have been more,
but the wife was there). I really learned a lesson that day and I will
definitely not make that mistake again. Next time the wife will be in the
house!!
Wayne
"Mike S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've plunked around in woodworking for several years but became serious
> about a year & a half ago. I've built a couple of decent pieces of
furniture
> the last 6 months or so.Anyway the wife wanted me to build a entertainment
> center. Since I've never tackled anything that large or complicated I told
> her I'd build a small one first for the computer room to put tv, stereo
and
> other equipment on. I picked up a couple of sheets of birch ply this
weekend
> and planned on using scrap oak to trim it out with. It's turning out
halfway
> decent and I've covered several opps but here are a few things I've
learned.
> Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before you
cut
> measure again.
> If using a tape measure use the same one all the way through the project.
> Don't apply Gel stain when it's over 90 degrees in the shop (dries before
> you get to wipe it off)
> Make sure you know what size brads are in the nail gun (when you use them
to
> toenail shelves into the
> sides to hold while the glue dries).
> Probably a few more to add but those few stick in my mind after this
> weekend.
>
> --
> Mike S.
> [email protected]
> http://members.tripod.com/n0yii/woodworking.htm
>
>
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> Mike S. wrote:
>
> > Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before
> > you cut measure again.
> I think I'd make fewer mistakes if I switched over to metric. ;-) 8th's,
> 16th's, adding 1/4" to 3/16" -- Bah, humbug!
Measuring too much deadens the brain. If you are not cruising through it
on auto you aught to get a niggle something is not righ. Time for a
cuppa.
Living betwixt and between, I can tell you we have a choice of both but
on the same tape. Someone send me a real English one from the colonies
will you?
I have a fibreglass tape I never used until recently, when I used the
metric side for the first time.
The manufacturers for some reason (inscrutable orientals????) decided
to give that side a 300mm countdown so that when I measured up for some
skirting my bill came out some 4 metres short. At £2.50 a metre I was
not best pleased.
I'm still puzzling out that one.
Why on earth would they make a tape like that?
--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
"Phil Hansen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
> 3mm + 19mm is a lot easier than 1/8" + 3/4" to work out.
Use metric for making stairs and fitting kitchens or -if you are a
manufacturer and timber salesman, for giving short measure. Work in
English. Two by four or 3 x 2 etc. Full English measures are rough sawn.
Finished or "ex" sizes are 5 mm narrower and thinner.
The best bit is that metrication was supposed to make manufacturing
easier.
("This will not infect the lb in your pocket") (Quote from the Big Cheat
in charge at the time.)
--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
>> > > Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before
>> > > you cut measure again.
>> >
>> > I think I'd make fewer mistakes if I switched over to metric. ;-)
>> 8th's,
>> > 16th's, adding 1/4" to 3/16" -- Bah, humbug!
>>
>> Yeah, like 1/4mm + 3/16 mm would be easier. ;~)
>>
>> I have a problem with what kind of ___meter to measure with. Do you use
>> millimeters, centimeters, decameters? Seems 8 feet is easer to say and
>> remember than say 2438.4mm.
>
>None of that stuff matters. I measured twice to cut 6 pieces the same
>length. Five were 59 5/8" and one was 58 5/8".
I noticed somebody used my saw while I was gone.
==
There are 10 kinds of people in the world those who understand binary and those who don't.
"Mark Jerde" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike S. wrote:
>
> > Don't measure twice & cut once, measure 3 or more times then before
> > you cut measure again.
>
> I think I'd make fewer mistakes if I switched over to metric. ;-)
8th's,
> 16th's, adding 1/4" to 3/16" -- Bah, humbug!
Yeah, like 1/4mm + 3/16 mm would be easier. ;~)
I have a problem with what kind of ___meter to measure with. Do you use
millimeters, centimeters, decameters? Seems 8 feet is easer to say and
remember than say 2438.4mm.
"charlie b" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Probaly didn't matter if they were all 59 5/8 or 59 7/8
> as long as they were all the same length.
In the end it didn't. I made them work and only I know the difference now.
> Having an 8 inch
> wide table that's 6 feet to the left of the blade and a stop
> block sure helps.
It is on the wish list. Right now I'd have to mount the stop block on the
snowblower or some garden tool.
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome