Stuff you have made today

[Mick Annick]

And for a bit of variety, the owner of the chateau in the village has asked if I could match some old window catches original top, mine bottom; they are the same size, perspective has made it look larger.

 

[MattF]

perspective has made it look larger.

That could be a handy trick, on occasion.

 

[roblane65]

This is most definitely not finished, but a major landmark was achieved today in a project I've been working on since late January:

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Rear view:

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It's going to be a tool chest to take on (self-catering cottage type) holiday with me, with the intention that it can also be used as a workbench (hence the thick construction, the stainless steel planing stops on the top and the slats on the back for stuff to be clamped to). When it's finished, there will hopefully be six drawers for tools (5 on the left, one on the right at the top) and an area in the bottom-right for a couple of small planes. All being well, it'll hold everything (give or take some bulky but robust stuff like clamps and glue bottles) for making small boxes and that sort of thing.

As a bit of explanation, my other half has M.E. and often needs some resting time during our holidays and I'd go stir crazy just sitting and reading, so it's nice to have some hobby stuff with me to pass the time while she's resting. Taking a metalworking lathe on holiday isn't really practical, but a bit of hand-tool wood bothering is.

The chest base has been by far the most significant (mostly) hand tool woodworking project I've ever done (and probably the most ambitious project of any kind I've ever done). The only power tool usage on the project so far has been using a bandsaw for one specific type of cut (resawing thick boards into thinner ones). Everything else has been hand tools only.

To give you an idea of why I think this is the most ambitious project I've done, this was:

1. The first project in which I've made panels from rough-sawn wood entirely by hand.
2. The first project where I've cut dovetails without any sort of saw guide.
3. The first project in which I've cut housing joints (for the middle upright support and drawer runners).
4. The first project in which I've cut wedged through mortice and tenon joints (or any entirely hand-cut mortice and tenon joints for that matter).
5. The first project in which I've cut half-lap joints (for the brace on the back that is intended to prevent racking while planing on the top surface).
6. The first project in which I've used protein-based glue (fish glue in this case).
7. The first project where I've had to come up with my own way of dealing with wood movement. On previous projects I've just used well-known techniques (buttons for table tops, grooves for box bases), whereas making what is essentially a five sided box where all sides needed to be rigid took a bit more thought.

That's quite a lot of firsts in my opinion!

I've never made wooden drawers before (unless you count pocket-hole jointed plywood carcases with ball-bearing drawer runners), so there are more firsts to come...

I'm very impressed there is some seriously nice wood work going on there . to cabinet making standard I should think and hand done too !

 

[nickk]

Here’s the forged bends I showed previously,they’re for a set of roof bars to support a roof tent,joined with transverse box section. The hole is for ventilation as I was getting them galvanised but I’ve no other jobs to go with them. Formed the clamps from 3mm,offset holes to grip the gutter.

 

[Dcal]

Today I made the camper van whole again.

I thought the battery tray would be the tricky bit but the DS lower inner guard was worse.

There was not much left for a pattern.

Forgot to take any photos during, but this is after a coat of white epoxy.
It's all a bit lumpy but it will do the job. I'll seam and underseal it after it gets its MOT.

Battery tray was similarly lacking in areas, so made my best guess.

I used 2mm steel but didn't have a bit big enough so I welded two off cuts together.
Mig was at my mates shed so I used tig and planishing it flat.
My good helmet was with the mig and the one I had was flashing on and off so that's my excuse, but it's functional.

I used my press and a form tool I had made up for something else to make the pressing for the bolt hole.

I was pleasantly suprised when it fitted.

Other side was similar but not as bad.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Finally got round to fitting the 250-333 size qctp to the brand new old stock top slide I got for the Triumph to replace the 4 way toolpost.

Also by some pure luck (as its an oddball big bore lathe) found a headstock bush that fits!!

Its currently got a tiny thrust bearing under the top nut which isn't ideal so I've ordered a bigger one and will turn a spacer/washer/bush when it gets here.

It works as is but I'm told thrust bearing makes it easier to get the top nut tight and avoid it moving when locking a tool holder in.

 

[leadpig]

Lead internal corner hopper head, took a while.

 

[minimutly]

Today I made the camper van whole again.

I thought the battery tray would be the tricky bit but the DS lower inner guard was worse.

There was not much left for a pattern.

View attachment 398503

View attachment 398510

Forgot to take any photos during, but this is after a coat of white epoxy.
It's all a bit lumpy but it will do the job. I'll seam and underseal it after it gets its MOT.

View attachment 398515

Battery tray was similarly lacking in areas, so made my best guess.

I used 2mm steel but didn't have a bit big enough so I welded two off cuts together.
Mig was at my mates shed so I used tig and planishing it flat.
My good helmet was with the mig and the one I had was flashing on and off so that's my excuse, but it's functional.

View attachment 398517

I used my press and a form tool I had made up for something else to make the pressing for the bolt hole.

View attachment 398518

I was pleasantly suprised when it fitted.

View attachment 398521

Other side was similar but not as bad.

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View attachment 398536

I could have shown you a complete-ish battery tray, it’s on my bench awaiting a repair. The baskets who made these vans never stopped rainwater running down under the bonnet, designed in failure...

 

[nickk]

Made 60 strawberry trollies 7 years ago,now due to regular punctures,farmers changing to solid tyres,so I’m putting suspension on each corner and widening them as he’s changed tray suppliers.

 

[4String.]

Having a few days off before starting the new job next week so I've managed to do a bit.

Picked up a "whetstone grinder" from Machine Mart last week for sharpening my wood turning chisels and it's now sat on a pedestal. The next task is to attack the block in front of the grinding wheel with a router and set the "T" track into it then make an adjustable bracket so the gouges will be ground at the right angle. (I briefly contemplated buying a Wolverine grinding job but my Yorkshire-ness objected to parting with the thick end of £200...)



An unused length of 1" thick pine board has been repurposed to hold chucks and faceplates and other lathe sundries:





And a similarly unused length of 40mm (proper measurements are available as opposed to this modern metric foreign nonsense which will never catch on ) drain pipe makes a great place to store turning chisels. And there's plenty of room for the inevitable future purchases :

 

[Hood]

I was to be making a mast for a boat but I reckoned it was too big so I cut out some hardboard to let the skipper see and he agreed. So I scaled it down a bit and it seemed better although the radar plate looked a bit out of proportion but nothing can be done about that as he wants the open scanner type and the slightly smaller version would cost him £4k more.

Anyway got two sheets chopped on the plasma.

Tacked it up.

Then the wind started picking up so I had to weld it in my workshop which doesn't really have much room.

Still have loads of brackets etc to weld on but quite happy with todays progress.

 

[MattF]

which doesn't really have much room.

Master of understatement.

 

[Blobber]

Master of understatement.

To be fair the outside looks pretty busy!

 

[Kram]

Testing saw with a couple of small Swedish candles. Cherry and sycamore.

 

[nickk]

Arches in 40/8 flat,they’re for roof strengthening on a wooden cabin.

 

[Turbo]

Having a few days off before starting the new job next week so I've managed to do a bit.

Picked up a "whetstone grinder" from Machine Mart last week for sharpening my wood turning chisels and it's now sat on a pedestal. The next task is to attack the block in front of the grinding wheel with a router and set the "T" track into it then make an adjustable bracket so the gouges will be ground at the right angle. (I briefly contemplated buying a Wolverine grinding job but my Yorkshire-ness objected to parting with the thick end of £200...)

View attachment 398625

An unused length of 1" thick pine board has been repurposed to hold chucks and faceplates and other lathe sundries:

View attachment 398628



And a similarly unused length of 40mm (proper measurements are available as opposed to this modern metric foreign nonsense which will never catch on ) drain pipe makes a great place to store turning chisels. And there's plenty of room for the inevitable future purchases :

View attachment 398630

A woodturner friend has the Tormek sharpening system for his chisels & every thing you need is an 'extra'. You need to sharpen a skew chisel? The jig for that is an extra. A plane blade jig an extra & so on.
He's now starting to use carbide insert tooling, no sharpening needed & great for abrasive hardwoods that quickly blunt normal chisels.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

I was to be making a mast for a boat but I reckoned it was too big so I cut out some hardboard to let the skipper see and he agreed. So I scaled it down a bit and it seemed better although the radar plate looked a bit out of proportion but nothing can be done about that as he wants the open scanner type and the slightly smaller version would cost him £4k more.

Anyway got two sheets chopped on the plasma.

View attachment 398748

View attachment 398749


Tacked it up.

View attachment 398750

Then the wind started picking up so I had to weld it in my workshop which doesn't really have much room.

View attachment 398751

Still have loads of brackets etc to weld on but quite happy with todays progress.

View attachment 398752

View attachment 398753

I don't know weather you may be aware but a cleanup might be called for I've got **** every where pushed aside as haven't had time to get it all cleared, just saying, might be worth a look

 

[Hood]

I don't know weather you may be aware but a cleanup might be called for I've got **** every where pushed aside as haven't had time to get it all cleared, just saying, might be worth a look

That is it clean
I just don't have room to put things, workshop is the wrong shape oh and BTW that is the part of my workshop with the most room in it

 

[Beeezer]

That is it clean
I just don't have room to put things, workshop is the wrong shape oh and BTW that is the part of my workshop with the most room in it

Not many pikeys round your way? Lot of offcuts in your yard….

 

[T5 TDI]

Made 60 strawberry trollies 7 years ago,now due to regular punctures,farmers changing to solid tyres,so I’m putting suspension on each corner and widening them as he’s changed tray suppliers.View attachment 398626View attachment 398627View attachment 398629

Bet you are getting really quick at doing those!