My New Saw!

I won the saw by doing a survey at Bosch Tools.  I could not believe it when they told me I won it.  We went to the grocery store and when we came home it was sitting on the deck.

Sadly, the carton looked like everyone at UPS had a shot at it.  There were plenty of splits and the bottom was almost falling off.  Maybe they rolled it here.

I put it in the house and let it set.  The camera I use for video had it's battery on the charger.  Finally, when it was ready, I dragged it into the kitchen and opened it up.  Wow, it is a heavy saw!  I think the specification is 65 pounds. 

I went through the steps of getting it ready and had the camera rolling, so there is a video coming up.  The saw itself seemed to survive OK but the plastic tube for the dust collection was snapped off the machine.  All 3 of the mounting locations were snapped off.

I read the instructions and went through the machine, moving things and getting familiar.  This saw is more saw than I will ever need.  Ever since it came out I have been thinking that the 10" version would be the ultimate saw to own for me.  Now I have it's big brother.  

After I was finished moving things around and getting familiar with it, I carried it out to the shop.  I will have to build something for it to sit on.  I am thinking of a shelf, open on the bottom, that the table saw can park under.

It is a beauty!

Also, I have been working on the "spice rack", actually it is to hold essential oils, but it is about the same build typed.  I got all the joinery for the rack part cut.  They fit pretty nice.  I can lift it and it all stays in one piece with just the friction of the joints holding it together.

The panel in the background is a left over piece of spruce sheathing left over from the shop siding.  I sanded and planed it smooth and put a couple of coats of blo and wax on it.  I hated it.  It made the whole thing look cheap.

I searched around the shop and found a piece of maple and I got 4 nice boards from it.  I got them to the same thickness with the planer and then used the Record 078 to make ship lap joints in them.

Then I fitted them to the back.  What a difference that made!

Another aspect I have been working on is the "crown" for the top.  I took a nice piece of the cherry (it is all coming out of the same board) and milled it to thickness and then, using the 078 again, routed a dado down the edge.  I am not sure, but when it goes with the grain, it may be called a fillit.

After I got the crown fitted to the top the little gears in my head went to work.  I thought about it all night and the next day I went to action with the brace and a centring bit, then a bit of saw work and work with the hand plane.  A bit more work with a file and a card scrapper and I was pretty happy with what I had.  The whole thing now looks like this....

I think the next job is to do a bit of work cleaning up my building marks.  A touch here and there with a card scrapper or plane, and then glue it up.  I already have a panel for the drawer front that will be in the bottom.  I am still debating on a door for it.

So, exciting times.  The work is going slow.  I only manage a few hours a day in there, but I am getting closer.  I have more things I would like to make in time for Christmas, but I didn't plan on this build becoming so enjoyable to do with some hand tools.  I could have used more power equipment, but I really am enjoying doing the joinery by hand.  So, until next time....

Thanks for dropping by!

Box trio completed

I got the blo and wax on the trio of photo boxes today.  So they are pretty much done.  I will give them a bit more of a buff later in the week and add some cork feet to them.  The hinges were a bit of a disappointment in that I installed them before finishing to get them lined up, removed them for finishing, and then found out they are inconsistent in where the holes are and their size.  This prompted me to swap hinges from box to box until I got them close enough.  6 screws per hinge is a lot.  They are not perfect, but it is the best I could manage.  I did decide to put a small piece of walnut on the front for a lid lift.  There is another video on the hinge installation coming up.  I have to edit it yet.  But here are some photos of the finished boxes.

I really like the way I maintained the grain going around the corners and how the finish brought out the grain.  Once they get their final buff they will look even better.  I like them as a set, but they are gifts, going to different people.

Thanks for dropping by

Atonement

A very short video describing the dangerous cut I made, and how I should have done it.