Discussion
Cheers Loughran. Yes, the bench holdfast, what an awesomely simple tool. Another tool I picked up was a cabinet scraper, again, stunning results from what is basically just a flat piece of steel; difficult grain, I spit on you! For anyone else reading this who’s interested in hand woodworking, have a look at a guy called Paul Sellars, an absolute goldmine of knowledge after 50 years of woodworking, as he doesn’t let you forget! Paul Sellars, complete with folksy guitar intro that all YouTube woodwork videos seem to have!
Progress with the yew today. This is the tree I was given by my neighbours and in return I agreed to make them a small piece of furniture. I've elected to make a pier table, keeping it simple but with a curvy stretcher to make it a bit more interesting.
So then, out with the vacuum bag and pump.
The bag's seen better days, I think a mouse has probably had nibble so I've patched it here and there but it works ok. The idea is you glue a number of leaves of wood, arrange them on a former inside the bag then seal the bag and suck the air out with a small pump allowing atmospheric pressure to do the business until the glue dries a few hours later.
Curves like this can be steamed or cut out of the solid if you have the material but laminating like this is quick and easy and if the leaves are cut from one piece and kept in order it can be difficult to see the individual layers when it's sanded and polished.
Two curves later and things can be tentatively assembled.
Then an afternoon spent sanding and adjusting and everything is ready for gluing up... but that's a job for tomorrow.
So then, out with the vacuum bag and pump.
The bag's seen better days, I think a mouse has probably had nibble so I've patched it here and there but it works ok. The idea is you glue a number of leaves of wood, arrange them on a former inside the bag then seal the bag and suck the air out with a small pump allowing atmospheric pressure to do the business until the glue dries a few hours later.
Curves like this can be steamed or cut out of the solid if you have the material but laminating like this is quick and easy and if the leaves are cut from one piece and kept in order it can be difficult to see the individual layers when it's sanded and polished.
Two curves later and things can be tentatively assembled.
Then an afternoon spent sanding and adjusting and everything is ready for gluing up... but that's a job for tomorrow.
Well, you’re just showing off now! As a professional furniture maker, how do you go about things like fixing the aprons into the legs, hand cut m&ts, morticer and spindle moulded for the tenons or Domino fixings and do you ever get costumers prepared to pay for everything to done by hand? Also how you did fasten the ends of the curved stretchers to legs when they meet at 45 degrees, a birds mouth and dowels?
This is at least marginally related to the title, so please bear with me: I've been looking on Google and haven't turned anything up but does anybody know a site (preferably in Italian but German or French will do) that does the usual timber types in metric as sold on the continent please?
I'm popping over to my place in Italy to do some joinery - fitting out a shed and installing bookcases and I have to buy in a load of stuff but cannot find a glossary/guide which will allow me confidently to spec up, 2 by 2s, 4 by 2s, specific types of MDF or ply, PAR etc.
The professional timber merchants I have made enquiries of tend to require a pre-written list (although once I supply it, they will let me inspect the wood I'm buying) but they are not really geared up to hold amateurs' hands. They are much better quality than Brico etc and more competitively priced as well as more competitive on delivery so I'd really prefer putting my business their way.
I'd be grateful for any pointers.
I'm popping over to my place in Italy to do some joinery - fitting out a shed and installing bookcases and I have to buy in a load of stuff but cannot find a glossary/guide which will allow me confidently to spec up, 2 by 2s, 4 by 2s, specific types of MDF or ply, PAR etc.
The professional timber merchants I have made enquiries of tend to require a pre-written list (although once I supply it, they will let me inspect the wood I'm buying) but they are not really geared up to hold amateurs' hands. They are much better quality than Brico etc and more competitively priced as well as more competitive on delivery so I'd really prefer putting my business their way.
I'd be grateful for any pointers.
I’ve got distracted from my shoe storage and decided to make a shaker-style door for our bathroom first. We’ve changed every other one in the house but the bathroom one is too narrow to come out of the same range. I was going to have one custom made, but feel inspired to try it myself now instead.
I’m making a router table so will be easily able to groove the stiles and rails.
My first question is,
It looks easiest to use splines like this as I don’t need to cut tenons and therefore can’t mess up the alignment so easily
Is that going to be strong enough for a full size door when glued up? (623x1998) The splines and panel would be 18mm thick.
Secondly, if I use MDF for the middle panel and a hardwood for the outer parts then can I glue the whole lot together for best strength or do I need to leave the panel floating?
Thanks folks!
I’m making a router table so will be easily able to groove the stiles and rails.
My first question is,
It looks easiest to use splines like this as I don’t need to cut tenons and therefore can’t mess up the alignment so easily
Is that going to be strong enough for a full size door when glued up? (623x1998) The splines and panel would be 18mm thick.
Secondly, if I use MDF for the middle panel and a hardwood for the outer parts then can I glue the whole lot together for best strength or do I need to leave the panel floating?
Thanks folks!
wolfracesonic said:
loughran said:
If the splines are a snug fit they'll form an excellent joint and as the panel will neither expand or contract it can be glued in place further strengthening the door.
Interesting, would plywood have to be left free floating, say on a kitchen cupboard sized door?A good quality plywood is dimensionally stable can be glued in place. I would glue it in place
^ I knew you had to leave solid wood panels free floating, I thought the same went for man made boards; I shall mentally file that one away
Re. Wood panelled doors, I come across a lot of panels that have split, as after receiving a 100 years worth of paint, they’re effectively glued in place anyway
Re. Wood panelled doors, I come across a lot of panels that have split, as after receiving a 100 years worth of paint, they’re effectively glued in place anywayThe yew table is finished.
Ten years ago a neighbour had to have their ancient yew tree felled but had the foresight to have it sliced into boards and stored, drying nicely, ready to be used someday.
10 years pass and by coincidence we meet neighbour, strike up a conversation and they tell me all about their tree.
A deal is struck.... They would like me to have the tree but in return would I make them a piece of furniture out of some of the wood so they could always remember their beautiful tree ?
The perfect transaction. 🙂
The pleasure has been all mine. Yew is a magical wood, the tree of spells, the tree of longbows, druids and windsor chair hoops. It's a softwood and yet hard, both poisonous and the tree of rebirth, a holy tree which was growing in churchyards before churches were invented.
The top is in one piece, it's exceptionally rare to get such a wide plank with yew and the colour is incredible, already starting to mellow as I've been working on it.
Just got to deliver it now.
Ten years ago a neighbour had to have their ancient yew tree felled but had the foresight to have it sliced into boards and stored, drying nicely, ready to be used someday.
10 years pass and by coincidence we meet neighbour, strike up a conversation and they tell me all about their tree.
A deal is struck.... They would like me to have the tree but in return would I make them a piece of furniture out of some of the wood so they could always remember their beautiful tree ?
The perfect transaction. 🙂
The pleasure has been all mine. Yew is a magical wood, the tree of spells, the tree of longbows, druids and windsor chair hoops. It's a softwood and yet hard, both poisonous and the tree of rebirth, a holy tree which was growing in churchyards before churches were invented.
The top is in one piece, it's exceptionally rare to get such a wide plank with yew and the colour is incredible, already starting to mellow as I've been working on it.
Just got to deliver it now.
loughran said:
The yew table is finished.
Ten years ago a neighbour had to have their ancient yew tree felled but had the foresight to have it sliced into boards and stored, drying nicely, ready to be used someday.
10 years pass and by coincidence we meet neighbour, strike up a conversation and they tell me all about their tree.
A deal is struck.... They would like me to have the tree but in return would I make them a piece of furniture out of some of the wood so they could always remember their beautiful tree ?
The perfect transaction. ??
The pleasure has been all mine. Yew is a magical wood, the tree of spells, the tree of longbows, druids and windsor chair hoops. It's a softwood and yet hard, both poisonous and the tree of rebirth, a holy tree which was growing in churchyards before churches were invented.
The top is in one piece, it's exceptionally rare to get such a wide plank with yew and the colour is incredible, already starting to mellow as I've been working on it.
Just got to deliver it now.
Just to say simply what a lovely job!Ten years ago a neighbour had to have their ancient yew tree felled but had the foresight to have it sliced into boards and stored, drying nicely, ready to be used someday.
10 years pass and by coincidence we meet neighbour, strike up a conversation and they tell me all about their tree.
A deal is struck.... They would like me to have the tree but in return would I make them a piece of furniture out of some of the wood so they could always remember their beautiful tree ?
The perfect transaction. ??
The pleasure has been all mine. Yew is a magical wood, the tree of spells, the tree of longbows, druids and windsor chair hoops. It's a softwood and yet hard, both poisonous and the tree of rebirth, a holy tree which was growing in churchyards before churches were invented.
The top is in one piece, it's exceptionally rare to get such a wide plank with yew and the colour is incredible, already starting to mellow as I've been working on it.
Just got to deliver it now.
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