Showing posts with label to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label to. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2014
4 Tips To Get Better Results From Your Woodworking Plans
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Clay_Wilkerson]Clay Wilkerson
Even professional carpenters have to rely on woodworking plans for most of their projects. Its easy enough to build a set of shelves or a workbench for your garage without any plans. But if you want professional results, something you can be proud of, then youll want to use a set of professionally designed plans. Unfortunately, it seems there are a lot of different definitions of the word professionally!
Woodworking is a fun and relaxing hobby and theres a great feeling of satisfaction when you complete a project. But it can turn into a frustrating nightmare if youre working from a poor set of plans. You dont have all the proper tools because they werent included on the drawing. Measurements are off. The cost skyrockets as you keep running out for more materials. All the fun and relaxation quickly disappear when the plans youre trying to follow are incomplete and sketchy.
But not all woodworking plans are created equally and some designers even understand the word professional. Here are 4 tips to help you choose quality woodworking plans before you start your next project.
Know your own skill level: Be honest, now. Whats your skill level? If youre a beginner youll want to find plans that leave absolutely nothing out. Youll want everything sketched out and itemized right there where you can see it.
However, regardless of the professional detailing in the plan, if its beyond your skill level then youll have a difficult time completing the project. Its fine to move up a notch or two on the scale of difficulty. But dont try to go from beginner to Master Carpenter in a weekend. Its just not going to happen.
Visualize the plan: Look at the list of materials and required tools, and then study the plan. Try to visualize the process, step by step, so you can see if all the necessary steps are included. If you cant visualize it, then either you dont have the necessary skills yet or the plan isnt complete.
Dont be afraid to ask for help: If youve chosen a project thats a step above you skill level, thats fine. Youll undoubtedly learn some new techniques. But maybe the reason youre having trouble visualizing the plan is because you dont have the necessary skills, yet. So dont be afraid to ask questions.
Get your plans from a reliable source: Your best option for finding professionally crafted plans is to go to a reliable source. Just because your buddy down the street built a showroom quality bookcase doesnt mean he can draw up a plan for you to follow along. Get your woodworking plans from people who are in the business of drafting quality plans and youll be able to relax and have fun with your project.
Clay Wilkerson is a do it yourself craftsman and�Woodworking�enthusiast. He hopes to inspire you to start building your own [http://woodworkingplanscenter.com/bench]Workbench today. For more information you can visit [http://woodworkingplanscenter.com]http://woodworkingplanscenter.com. Go build something!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?4-Tips-To-Get-Better-Results-From-Your-Woodworking-Plans&id=6739644] 4 Tips To Get Better Results From Your Woodworking Plans
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Even professional carpenters have to rely on woodworking plans for most of their projects. Its easy enough to build a set of shelves or a workbench for your garage without any plans. But if you want professional results, something you can be proud of, then youll want to use a set of professionally designed plans. Unfortunately, it seems there are a lot of different definitions of the word professionally!
Woodworking is a fun and relaxing hobby and theres a great feeling of satisfaction when you complete a project. But it can turn into a frustrating nightmare if youre working from a poor set of plans. You dont have all the proper tools because they werent included on the drawing. Measurements are off. The cost skyrockets as you keep running out for more materials. All the fun and relaxation quickly disappear when the plans youre trying to follow are incomplete and sketchy.
But not all woodworking plans are created equally and some designers even understand the word professional. Here are 4 tips to help you choose quality woodworking plans before you start your next project.
Know your own skill level: Be honest, now. Whats your skill level? If youre a beginner youll want to find plans that leave absolutely nothing out. Youll want everything sketched out and itemized right there where you can see it.
However, regardless of the professional detailing in the plan, if its beyond your skill level then youll have a difficult time completing the project. Its fine to move up a notch or two on the scale of difficulty. But dont try to go from beginner to Master Carpenter in a weekend. Its just not going to happen.
Visualize the plan: Look at the list of materials and required tools, and then study the plan. Try to visualize the process, step by step, so you can see if all the necessary steps are included. If you cant visualize it, then either you dont have the necessary skills yet or the plan isnt complete.
Dont be afraid to ask for help: If youve chosen a project thats a step above you skill level, thats fine. Youll undoubtedly learn some new techniques. But maybe the reason youre having trouble visualizing the plan is because you dont have the necessary skills, yet. So dont be afraid to ask questions.
Get your plans from a reliable source: Your best option for finding professionally crafted plans is to go to a reliable source. Just because your buddy down the street built a showroom quality bookcase doesnt mean he can draw up a plan for you to follow along. Get your woodworking plans from people who are in the business of drafting quality plans and youll be able to relax and have fun with your project.
Clay Wilkerson is a do it yourself craftsman and�Woodworking�enthusiast. He hopes to inspire you to start building your own [http://woodworkingplanscenter.com/bench]Workbench today. For more information you can visit [http://woodworkingplanscenter.com]http://woodworkingplanscenter.com. Go build something!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?4-Tips-To-Get-Better-Results-From-Your-Woodworking-Plans&id=6739644] 4 Tips To Get Better Results From Your Woodworking Plans
Saturday, February 22, 2014
1 How To Use A Router Woodwork Woodworking Plans
How To Use A Router Woodwork
Woodworking Plans
Do-it-Yourself Patterns and Crafts, Woodworking kits, Furniture Plans Plus Much, Much More. Will Show You How to Make 16,000 Different Woodworking Plans. Use The Plans For Fun, Functionality or Profit!
How To Use A Router Woodwork. Wood is 1 of the most attractive, durable and versatile materials that you can operate with although on a do it yourself project. The beauty of a cabinet door that is finished in wood cannot be matched by any other material regardless of whether organic or man produced. As with any project, you would demand a detailed set of plans while you function with wood and wood based supplies. This is why it is recommended that you use a detailed set of woodworking plans as soon as you strategy to extensively use wood primarily based materials to comprehensive the project that you have embarked on.
Now let us examine why woodworking plans are important in any wood primarily based do it your self project. To commence with, these plans enable you remove waste. If you start a woodworking project with no a firm program, the possibilities are that you would end up employing extra wood that you originally intended to. Most of the wood primarily based projects would require comprehensive assemblies and sub assemblies.
When you start your project, you would be ideally operating with individual members of wood and finishing them individually ahead of assembling them. If you do not have the appropriate woodwork plans, you could finish up with mismatching wood members at the time of assembly. This could result in highly-priced price and time overruns in the project. All these complications can be avoided by utilizing a well laid out set of wood plans.
The other advantage that you could have if you use woodworking plans are that you would be prepared with all the tools and implements that you would require for finishing the wood primarily based project. Normally we locate that we do not have access to a distinct tool in the middle of a woodworking project. This scenario could lead to a loss of time and at times you may even have to abandon the project in case a specific tool is not out there. All these concerns can be avoided if you have a detailed program at the onset. How To Use A Router Woodwork
How To Use A Router Woodwork Causes
Constant Advertising - The romance of woodworking will need to have to be balanced with the consistent marketing and marketing crucial to retain the operate coming in. In time, phrase of mouth brings in a lot of operate if you create a excellent reputation. Till finally then, you will will need to get the phrase out routinely. Following the function arrives in you have to have excellent manufacturing systems so you can total the tasks promptly and continue to preserve the money flowing. If jobs take into account also pretty long and the dollars movement stops, it can turn into tricky to shell out the costs. Talking of revenue flow, you should really create and adhere to frequent assortment techniques. This is 1 area where by many woodworkers fail. The payment for the carry out will need to have to be as important as the execute by itself. If you are lax in accumulating, you will run into prospects who fall brief to shell out you and this will bring about really severe income movement difficulties.The Modest enterprise - Even on the other hand you like woodworking, you will want to do the property enterprise if you are to make a dwelling at it. Fantastic benefits commonly requires an in-depth information and facts of each woodworking and company management. If you never ever have every single, I recommend you hesitate to leap in until you have honed your enterprise capabilities.
Looking back once again I recognize that my lack of expertise in the course of my startup quite a couple of decades back could have been offset with some widespread details and one more person to advise me.Sadly I had to find out most components by trial and error.
Just about just about every and every single and each and every week, I take the time to go via the comments that my viewers make about my woodworking web page. 1st of all I want to them for taking the time to comment, I undoubtedly value all of the comments and ideas. This prior week there was a comment from a gentleman, who expressed a want to get into woodworking. As a man who is passionate about woodworking, I want to welcome him to the fold. And I want to present you him all of the suggestions and encouragement probable in his endeavors.How To Use A Router Woodwork
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How To Use A Router Woodwork Reviewed by Karen Eisner on Rating:
Friday, February 21, 2014
Marching To A Different Drummer
"I really care about what I do; not only in the end result but also in how it gets done. In todays fast paced, almost out of control world you do not hear too many people who love what they do for a living. While I dont make a lot of money the pay back comes in other ways. And what is so bad about making less money doing something you really care about? The things I make might be for others, how I make them is for me."
"The current state of the furniture industry as a whole has certainly affected the way that I make and design furniture. With the use of so much plywood, stains, and machine techniques, the cabinetmaker is becoming lost in the shuffle. He (or she) is becoming an operator of machines and nothing more. I believe in using only hand tools, solid wood, traditional joinery, and making pieces one at a time, I am putting the maker back into a piece of furniture."
"While I have had some success with my writing, I would much rather be in my shop making a piece of furniture to keep or to sell. For now, the only way I sell my work is through word of mouth. While it has been a tough road to hoe, in the end, I believe this will pay off."
All three of these quotes came from the book "Chisel, Mallet, Plane, and Saw" written by Cabinetmaker Tony Konovaloff. I recently finished devouring this book in one long whirlwind of a day, and I completely enjoyed every word.
In this book I think Tony makes the best argument I have ever heard for making furniture primarily with hand tools. Once you boil it down to its essence it comes to just a few words. A loud and resounding, "Because I can and because I want to." and that should be good enough.
I recently brought one of my carved boxes into my day job at the hospital. There is an employee art contest and I decided to enter the box into the fray. There were several of my coworkers who had seen my work through Facebook or other similar interactions, but almost none of them had ever seen it in person. I received many positive comments and questions.
A couple of folks asked how I got the router to make those intricate designs, and there was lots of questions that sounded like "What do you mean you used only hand tools?" Its a little baffling to me that making something by hand, really by hand, is such an oddity these days that most people dont understand it even when you explain it to them. It was just like trying to explain how to correctly align a Flux Capacitor to operate the Dilithium Crystals in your TARDIS. (Geeks of the world arise and unite)
Im just not sure how or why hand tool woodworking became such a foreign concept to the average armchair observer, but I think I may try to stop letting that bother me like it used to. After all is said and done Tony is right, I build things the way I build them for myself. What other reason could be required.
Ratione et Passionis
Oldwolf
P.S. If you havent heard of Tony Konovaloff or read his book then beat feet away from here and over to his website http://tonykonovaloff.com/ and read what hes all about, look at some of his work. and by all means pick up his book. Its a honest and straightforward look at hand tool woodworking and how it fits into a real life in the real world. I really enjoyed reading it and I believe theres a good chance you will too.
How To Deck How Cedar Decking Can Expand Your Living Space
Cedar Decking
Outdoor living is growing steadily in popularity, which places increasing importance on your cedar deck, especially during the warmer months. It used to be the only functions of a cedar deck were to provide a place to grill hot dogs and burgers. However, with the widening availability of patio covers, weatherproof fabrics, and other deck design options, many homeowners now view the deck as an extension of the home. In fact, a recent study revealed most people place outdoor living rooms and grilling areas at the top of their list of preferred living spaces.Moisture is a concern, especially in the Pacific Northwest. When building a cedar deck, Portland homeowners are often restricted by the weather for ways to use the space. Thankfully, if you choose a deck design carefully, and plan the decks function in advance, you can create a fully-functional outdoor room. Here are five ideas for turning your deck into a purposeful outdoor living space.
1. Outdoor living room.
Outfit your deck with some weather protection with a patio cover, gazebo or over-sized umbrella. Make a fire pit or chiminea the focal point, but be sure to surround it with a non-flammable surface, such as deck tiles. Create a cozy lounge for entertaining or hanging out; decorate with an outdoor rug and sofa, and accent with lighting, textured fabrics and other accessories. Dont be afraid to borrow items from inside the home, as this will help create a sense of continuity. (Depending on the type of accessories and furniture you choose, you may need to remember to bring it in once the wet season hits.)2. Al fresco kitchen.
Grilling is one of the greatest ways to entertain outdoors, but hauling dishes back and forth is a real pain. Instead, consider creating an entire outdoor kitchen. Todays cedar decking can accommodate grills, sinks, refrigerators, storage cabinets and even brick pizza ovens. Include comfortable seating, ambient lighting and some sort of covering, like an aluminum patio cover or pergola.3. Party central.
A built-in bar, sink and mini-fridge can make hosting an outdoor party easier. Utilize the space by planning extra deck benches around the perimeter of your deck. Lighting is also important, especially if you are hosting evening parties. Provide enough light to see without brightening the space too much. Its also a good idea to install a patio cover so you dont have to move the party indoors when it rains.4. Multicultural getaway.
Whether you yearn for the striking colors of Morocco, or Zen garden tranquility, your cedar deck is the perfect place to experiment with those styles youre too afraid to try indoors. Begin with a bold outdoor rug, which will define the space and help you choose accessories.5. Private retreat.
The natural wood glow of your cedar decking creates an ideal private oasis. Consider a hammock or over-sized chair to provide luxurious seating, and add calming elements like plants, wind chimes, and a water fountain. Choose lush fabrics in soothing, neutral tones, and hang screens or lattice for privacy.Your outdoor living space should have a distinct function, just like every other room in your house. Plan your cedar deck design to accommodate the way you want to actually use your deck, and your outdoor room can rival those in the magazines.
Woodworking Plans
Monday, February 17, 2014
Guide To Woodworking Woodworking Plans
Guide To Woodworking
Woodworking Plans
Do-it-Yourself Patterns and Crafts, Woodworking kits, Furniture Plans Plus Much, Much More. Will Show You How to Make 16,000 Different Woodworking Plans. Use The Plans For Fun, Functionality or Profit!
Guide To Woodworking. Wood is one particular of the most lovely, sturdy and versatile components that you can perform with while on a do it yourself project. The beauty of a cabinet door that is finished in wood cant be matched by any other material regardless of whether natural or man made. As with any project, you would need a detailed set of plans whilst you operate with wood and wood primarily based components. This is why it is advised that you use a detailed set of woodworking plans after you program to extensively use wood primarily based components to total the project that you have embarked on.
Now let us examine why woodworking plans are important in any wood primarily based do it your self project. To begin with, these plans assistance you eliminate waste. If you commence a woodworking project without the need of a firm plan, the probabilities are that you would finish up employing much more wood that you initially intended to. Most of the wood primarily based projects would call for comprehensive assemblies and sub assemblies.
When you start your project, you would be ideally functioning with individual members of wood and finishing them individually before assembling them. If you do not have the correct woodwork plans, you could end up with mismatching wood members at the time of assembly. This could cause high-priced price and time overruns in the project. All these problems can be avoided by utilizing a properly laid out set of wood plans.
The other benefit that you could have if you use woodworking plans are that you would be ready with all the tools and implements that you would demand for completing the wood based project. Often we come across that we do not have access to a unique tool in the middle of a woodworking project. This predicament could lead to a loss of time and sometimes you may possibly even have to abandon the project in case a distinct tool is not available. All these difficulties can be avoided if you have a detailed plan at the onset. Guide To Woodworking
Guide To Woodworking Datum
Consistent Advertising - The romance of woodworking will want to be balanced with the constant marketing and marketing important to retain the operate coming in. In time, phrase of mouth brings in a lot of operate if you create a excellent reputation. Till ultimately then, you will require to get the phrase out routinely. Following the perform arrives in you have to have great manufacturing systems so you can total the tasks promptly and continue to retain the money flowing. If jobs consider also extremely long and the dollars movement stops, it can turn into difficult to shell out the expenditures. Talking of income flow, you must make and adhere to frequent assortment techniques. This is 1 region exactly where by various woodworkers fail. The payment for the execute will require to be as vital as the execute by itself. If you are lax in accumulating, you will run into prospects who fall quick to shell out you and this will bring about seriously severe income movement issues.The Little company - Even however you like woodworking, you will require to do the home business if you are to make a dwelling at it. Very good final results typically demands an in-depth facts of both woodworking and small business management. If you never ever have every single, I recommend you hesitate to leap in until you have honed your enterprise abilities.
Seeking back once again I recognize that my lack of information in the course of my startup pretty a couple of decades back could have been offset with some common details and one more person to advise me.Sadly I had to discover most elements by trial and error.
Just about each and each and each week, I take the time to go by choice of the comments that my viewers make about my woodworking website. 1st of all I want to them for taking the time to comment, I certainly worth all of the comments and tips. This preceding week there was a comment from a gentleman, who expressed a have to have to get into woodworking. As a man who is passionate about woodworking, I want to welcome him to the fold. And I want to supply you him all of the suggestions and encouragement probable in his endeavors.Guide To Woodworking
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Guide To Woodworking Reviewed by Todd White on Rating:
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Back to Love Spoons De volta �s Love Spoons
Esta semana , talvez pelas boas criticas acerca dos meus trabalhos nas Love spoons, resolvi esculpir mais umas peças, trabalhos realizados em madeira de Tilia, Amieiro, Cedro, Pinho e Pau ferro, o resultado final foi este,
This week, perhaps for good reviews about my work in Love spoons, I decided to carve a few more pieces, works made in wood of lime, alder, cedar, pine, the end result was this,
Monday, February 10, 2014
WIA11 The Maloof Leg to Seat Joint w Charles Brock
I had the intention of writing up every class I attended at WIA. Though that didnt quite happen, I did manage half of a class description for the first class I took. This is a quick review I wrote while in the class.
Charles began by addressing the issue of Maloof inspired. Hes right when he says hes continuing a tradition and creating his own (beautiful) interpretations.
The focus of this class is how Charles joins the legs to the seats. He uses a rabbeted notch joint. Its a similar point to Maloof, with Charless own way of making the splay.
The class was lively and Charles is a warm and friendly Southern Gentlemen. The class served as a good primer to this useful chair joint. If you know the joint already, the class is a bit repetitive.
And no, he doesnt sell the hat.
 |
| Charles Brock describes how to make the cut on the table saw. |
The focus of this class is how Charles joins the legs to the seats. He uses a rabbeted notch joint. Its a similar point to Maloof, with Charless own way of making the splay.
And no, he doesnt sell the hat.
A Way to Take the Screw Out of Purchasing a Vintage Screwdriver Online
First, let me apologize for the title as this post has nothing to do with screwdrivers. It is meant to touch on the topic of protecting yourself when purchasing vintage tools online, so while no screwdrivers are discussed here, the contents could be applied when and if you ever purchase one. Using the term "Screwdriver", however, allowed me, I hope, to be blunt, without being rude.
Collecting vintage tools has become a serious and enjoyable hobby for me. Spending time seeking out and purchasing these tools is a real blast. Paying for those purchases, not so much, but when you finally get them in your greedy little hands, the buzz returns in multiples. The two most enjoyable parts of the equation are the researching of the tool once I find one I want to purchase, and of course, the end result - owning it and being able to use it, or simply just look at it.
When I first started down this collection road, I got truly taken on the purchase of two saws. One was a Disston D-12 that turned out to be so bent, it is better suited for cutting circles than anything else. The other is an Atkins Rip that had been sharpened so many times it looks more like a keyhole saw, than a rip saw. In my defense for these two stupid moves, I will state that they were my first two purchases of vintage tools on eBay. When I made them, I had no idea what I was doing.
While it took getting taken twice, no-one had to hit me across the head with a two-by-four the third time. I swung into research mode, learned to study the images provided in these listings and worked to take the emotions out of these purchases. Since then, I have probably made thirty-odd more purchases, and I am quite satisfied with each one. Some were true deals, some were true steals and some were true must-haves at any price, which I acknowledged before I hit the submit button.
While educating myself to some extent has protected me so far from being taken again, the questionable practices of some sellers on the internet still remain; ready to take advantage of the newbies. One such listing on eBay has the following, short description; "Nice Stanley chisel, no cracked handle here, also a nice tip as well!! Check out my other listings!!!”
Have a look at the image that accompanied this description. It does show that the description is true; it does have a nice handle and the end isnt too bad. It also shows, to me at least, that everything in between is nothing but junk. Do my eyes deceive me, or is this thing seriously bent? It also might have been heated at some time, maybe to try and straighten it out, as there is something seriously wrong going on just above that "nice" tip?
Collecting vintage tools has become a serious and enjoyable hobby for me. Spending time seeking out and purchasing these tools is a real blast. Paying for those purchases, not so much, but when you finally get them in your greedy little hands, the buzz returns in multiples. The two most enjoyable parts of the equation are the researching of the tool once I find one I want to purchase, and of course, the end result - owning it and being able to use it, or simply just look at it.
When I first started down this collection road, I got truly taken on the purchase of two saws. One was a Disston D-12 that turned out to be so bent, it is better suited for cutting circles than anything else. The other is an Atkins Rip that had been sharpened so many times it looks more like a keyhole saw, than a rip saw. In my defense for these two stupid moves, I will state that they were my first two purchases of vintage tools on eBay. When I made them, I had no idea what I was doing.
While it took getting taken twice, no-one had to hit me across the head with a two-by-four the third time. I swung into research mode, learned to study the images provided in these listings and worked to take the emotions out of these purchases. Since then, I have probably made thirty-odd more purchases, and I am quite satisfied with each one. Some were true deals, some were true steals and some were true must-haves at any price, which I acknowledged before I hit the submit button.
While educating myself to some extent has protected me so far from being taken again, the questionable practices of some sellers on the internet still remain; ready to take advantage of the newbies. One such listing on eBay has the following, short description; "Nice Stanley chisel, no cracked handle here, also a nice tip as well!! Check out my other listings!!!”
Have a look at the image that accompanied this description. It does show that the description is true; it does have a nice handle and the end isnt too bad. It also shows, to me at least, that everything in between is nothing but junk. Do my eyes deceive me, or is this thing seriously bent? It also might have been heated at some time, maybe to try and straighten it out, as there is something seriously wrong going on just above that "nice" tip?
One of the ways you can protect yourself from unscrupulous sellers is to take full advantage of the images they provide. An example of this is how I handled the purchase this week of a Stanley No. 72 Chamfer Plane that I ended up buying for, hopefully, a very reasonable price. The jury is still out on whether I did well with it or not as I am currently awaiting its arrival, but I did do all I could to ensure I would be happy with the deal.
I must acknowledge that this particular purchase is the first one I have made that breaks one of my own rules; “never buy a tool I wouldn’t use”, as I fully expect never to put this tool to wood. My reasoning behind this purchase is purely aesthetic; I fell in love with this tool the moment I first laid eyes on one as I believe it has exceptional proportions and is a very clever design. As a result, I just had to have one. Having watched for one at a reasonable price for quite some time now, I can tell you that discovering one for under their normal price range of $375 to $400 is next to impossible. When this one came up on eBay, the bids were far below what was expected, and to me, this is a huge warning sign. If the collectors on eBay are not willing to open their wallets for a known collectable tool, something is not right with it. The images that the seller provided were adequate, but they were your typical snapshot. They showed signs that the seller was trying to show the tool honestly as he had placed the tool against a plain background and didn’t distort the angles. Because of the exposure, however, seeing a true likeness of the tool wasn’t possible. I grabbed a capture of the image as you can no longer save images off of eBay, with the results of that capture shown below.
I must acknowledge that this particular purchase is the first one I have made that breaks one of my own rules; “never buy a tool I wouldn’t use”, as I fully expect never to put this tool to wood. My reasoning behind this purchase is purely aesthetic; I fell in love with this tool the moment I first laid eyes on one as I believe it has exceptional proportions and is a very clever design. As a result, I just had to have one. Having watched for one at a reasonable price for quite some time now, I can tell you that discovering one for under their normal price range of $375 to $400 is next to impossible. When this one came up on eBay, the bids were far below what was expected, and to me, this is a huge warning sign. If the collectors on eBay are not willing to open their wallets for a known collectable tool, something is not right with it. The images that the seller provided were adequate, but they were your typical snapshot. They showed signs that the seller was trying to show the tool honestly as he had placed the tool against a plain background and didn’t distort the angles. Because of the exposure, however, seeing a true likeness of the tool wasn’t possible. I grabbed a capture of the image as you can no longer save images off of eBay, with the results of that capture shown below.
I brought the file into Photoshop and after a little manipulation, I felt I had a good rendition of the plane. For those of you that know Photoshop, I added a Curves Adjustment Layer set using three Control Points and applied an Unsharpen Mask. Comparing the image to a known and trusted one, I fully realized that it wasnt in the pristine condition that true collectors like, as well as it being an example of a later production model, which is probably the reasons why the price was below average. How a good collector sorts the good from the not so good, I have no idea. Do they all know Photoshop like I do? The image below is a result of these manipulations.
Unlike the seller for the chisel shown above, this seller was more honest in his description, even though his statement that about 85% of the japanning remained might be a little overstated, as the manipulated image showed otherwise. This is probably not intentional, as I suspect that the value he came up with was based on not knowing which parts of this particular plane were originally japanned when it came from the factory as the No. 72 comes with a lot more of that coating than other Stanley planes. The point here, though, is that having done the research and investigated the images offered as best as I could, I had all the information I needed to make a rational choice whether to purchase the plane or not. As I really wanted an example of this one, but knew it would be one that would end up being a dust collector, I placed a value on it which turned out to be enough to be successful. I ended up purchasing the plane for what I consider to be a reasonable price of $250. I feel it was a fair price for a Stanley No. 72 in this condition and one that I feel could be realized if I choose to sell it later on.
Now that I have it, I have to figure out what to do with it. It is not the cleanest tool I have ever purchased, nor the worst, for that matter. I do, however, want to clean it, and this is where conflict rears its ugly head. If you go online and check out the articles regarding cleaning a vintage tool, most will tell you not to touch it, other than a wipe down with mineral spirits or the like. This category of collecting is like any other category; the more it is in original condition, the more it is worth. I have this dilemma with antique furniture as well, and from my perspective, it boils down to what you are willing to live with. I own a beautiful sideboard from the Art Deco period that is made with serious quality and craftsmanship, built from solid mahogany. When I bought it years ago, for a song I might add, it had some stains and markings on its top left by some klutz who owned it before me. I do not care how magical the piece, if it looks like it shouldn’t, I’m not going to live with it, so I stripped and refinished it in a New York minute. Actually, I did this twice as I unknowingly stained it darker than I should have the first time, and realizing my mistake, did it again. Is this sideboard not worth as much now as it could be? Absolutely. Am I happier with it now than I would be if I had left it alone? Absolutely.
Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I have a feeling that the moment I receive this plane, it is going to be dunked in pot of Evapo-Rust that Lee Valley sells just for this purpose.
Peace,
Mitchell
Now that I have it, I have to figure out what to do with it. It is not the cleanest tool I have ever purchased, nor the worst, for that matter. I do, however, want to clean it, and this is where conflict rears its ugly head. If you go online and check out the articles regarding cleaning a vintage tool, most will tell you not to touch it, other than a wipe down with mineral spirits or the like. This category of collecting is like any other category; the more it is in original condition, the more it is worth. I have this dilemma with antique furniture as well, and from my perspective, it boils down to what you are willing to live with. I own a beautiful sideboard from the Art Deco period that is made with serious quality and craftsmanship, built from solid mahogany. When I bought it years ago, for a song I might add, it had some stains and markings on its top left by some klutz who owned it before me. I do not care how magical the piece, if it looks like it shouldn’t, I’m not going to live with it, so I stripped and refinished it in a New York minute. Actually, I did this twice as I unknowingly stained it darker than I should have the first time, and realizing my mistake, did it again. Is this sideboard not worth as much now as it could be? Absolutely. Am I happier with it now than I would be if I had left it alone? Absolutely.
Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I have a feeling that the moment I receive this plane, it is going to be dunked in pot of Evapo-Rust that Lee Valley sells just for this purpose.
Peace,
Mitchell
Friday, January 24, 2014
How to Build Custom Shelving for Only 35!
Want to know how we built this shelving unit for $35? Read on to see!
First a little background info and why we decided to build instead of buy and why we selected the materials that we did ...
We decided on an open shelving unit for between the office and living room because a. we needed more storage b. we wanted it to feel open, but still have something to divide the spaces
We decided to make our own instead of purchasing Ikeas Vittsjo, because a. the Vittsjo wasnt quite long enough and two was too long b. we are 4 hours from Ikea ... c. it was cheaper by about half
Pretty convincing, huh? :)
We opted for MDF shelves instead of using 1x12s because we needed it to be about 14" wide to fit our baskets (on bottom shelf) and it ended up saving SO much money! We got two large sheets of MDF at Habitat Restore for only $7! (they arent always there, but hopefully yours will have some too!) One 1x12x6 starts at about $12 and goes up depending on quality. So we were able to save about $53 on the shelves and get them the width that we wanted!
We then purchased 2x2x8 (x6) redwood pieces from Ace Hardware for about $4.50 each for the other wood. We could of saved even more money and went with pine, but we wanted it to be a little stronger and they were more finished, which required less sanding! ALWAYS a plus!
Ok, now heres how we did it:
The overall height was 53" and width was 14.5". The drawing and photos dont really show it, but for the center rods we cut a 2x2 in half with a table saw, this allowed us to save on wood and less wood = sleeker appearance (which we were going for).
For the two end ladders, the 2x2s (cut in half) were placed on the edge and the center ladder had them centered.
While building the ladders, it was helpful to have one person hold the pieces in place, while the other attached them.
Next we moved onto the shelves. We had them cut to 14.5"wide at Ace Hardware (before we got the table saw) when we picked up the 2x2s. We then measured where the 6 notches went (on the ends and centered)
Annabelle visited ... this is how she tells us that she is bored and wants back inside :) Inside she went, and David cut the notches with the jigsaw.
He tested to see if the 2x2 would easily fit inside and then cut off a little more if needed. Since the shelves are pretty tight to get in there (more on that later) we wanted the cuts to be slightly big so that they would fit.
Now we started assembling. We predrilled holes in the center of the ladder pieces for the shelves to attach to. (This would of been easier before the ladders were assembled). Balancing the three ladders (you need at least two people :) we carefully slide the shelves in at an angle and placed them and then attached them with screws. We did have to cut a few of the notches slightly bigger at this point so that the shelf would fit.
and then we added braces at the bottom for extra support and to ensure that it is straight. We used a thin piece of poplar hobby board.
We actually painted the pieces separately prior to assembling since we had to install in place (our stairs are too narrow for it to fit). So paint prior to assembling or after, whichever work best for you! I used Zinsser cover stain oil based primer because it bonds to shiny surfaces like laminate (works great!) and a custom mixed light minty blue for the top coat.
and that was it!
Total Cost:
MDF sheets $7 (Habitat Restore)
2x2x8 Redwood $4.50 x6 (Ace Hardware)
Paint (already owned)
Primer $8
Total Cost for wood $34
plus primer = $42
I still cant believe that we got all of the wood for about $35!! Make sure to keep your eyes peeled at Habitat Restore or other similar stores to cheap building supplies, it can save SO much money!
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Tufted Headboard with Nailhead How To
I shared a few sneak peaks of our most recent headboard last week, heres the finished pics! When our friends mentioned that they were looking for a headboard, we quickly volunteered! Ive been wanting to try a deep tufted headboard for a while now - so this was the perfect opportunity.
Heres how we did it:
First we picked up our supplies:
1/2" plywood
2x2 pine (qty 2)
2x4 (qty 1)
1 piece of 3" camping foam from Home Depot
Batting
Fabric (I used a drapery panel from Target - in tan)
Buttons to cover
Gorilla glue
Upholstery thread
Nailhead
Tools needed:
Chop saw
Long needle (for tufting)
Hammer (for nailhead)
Upholstery stapler
We decided to make the headboard flush with a queen mattress 60" wide, a few extra inches would work too.
First the boys worked on the frame.
Above is the completed wood frame, minus the 1/2" plywood behind the legs (to make it flush) - which was added last, minus the 2x4 at the bottom on the plywood, minus the extra 2x2 on the leg. Whoops ... forgot to take another pic!
We measure and drilled holes for the tufting with a 1/4" drill bit.
Since the foam wasnt wide enough, we pieced it together at the bottom, using spray adhesive to secure it. Then from the back we poked through the holes with a meat thermometer. (We used an extra sharp kitchen knife - the filet knife cuts it like butter!)
Using a knife, we cut the foam at an angle (wider at the top) down to the plywood.
Using the instructions on the kit, we covered non upholstery grade with the same fabric as the headboard. Tip: use a little Gorilla Glue before you seal the button to keep them from popping off.
We laid the batting and fabric overtop and started tufting. Balancing the headboard against the kitchen island, David threaded the long needle with upholstery thread (doubled up) and threaded it through the back. In the front, I folded the fabric where I wanted it to go, inserted the button on the needle and sent it to the back to be stapled. I wanted the button to be pushed down to the plywood, so I used the end of a hammer since it was so deep. Tip: use the end of a thin paintbrush to help you find the hole. David pushed it from the hole in the back and I stuck the tip of the needle in end and pushed it back out. Finding the hole through 3" of foam can get tricky, so it helped us find the hole the first time.
TIP: With deep tufting, make sure to not to pull too tight between the buttons, the extra fabric should go into the folds, pushing the button down helps keep it tight. If you pull too tight, you wont have enough fabric to work with as you go to make the folds. Also, make sure to leave plenty of extra fabric at the sides since the tufts take a lot.
Tufting is a little frustrating and time consuming, but it gets easier once you get the hang of it. Expect to spend several hours.
After we finished tufting, we started to pull tight on the sides.
Love this stapler! Makes the whole process a lot easier. We found ours at Ace Hardware for about $20, but I think Home Depot sells it to. Get it :)
For the corners, we put a staple in and folded the front over. We didnt have any issues with it bunching in the front at the corners. At first, when planning, we thought wed have to fold it at a 45 on the corners (on the front). But this worked well!
Next we finished the legs. Since our fabric wasnt long enough for the legs, we cut and stapled the fabric. Folded and ironed a seam on the piece for the leg - and stapled from the back.
To pull the edge tight, we added nailhead strip. I normally use individual nailhead, but since we werent going against a straight line, this helped, plus this is SO much faster.
It took us about 30 minutes to lay out the whole thing!
Love how it turned out!!
Also, we let the headboard free stand between the mattress/box spring and the wall. Having the plywood go under the mattress and the legs to the ground helps lock it in place. We havent had issues with it moving, but since it can move, Id recommend using french cleats to secure it to the wall to be extra safe.
We photographed it in our house before taking it over to our friends. I loved walking past it and looking at it for the few hours that it was here. Made me feel like I had a put together bedroom again (at least from the hall :)
I added black and white Marimekko pillows purchased from a Crate and Barrel outlet a few years ago.
and my Caitlin Wilson Designs pillow in tall chevron mint.
The lamps were found at Target a few months ago for $16 each. Finally, we flipped the drawer on our nightstand so it was white. Still loving my organic chevron duvet from West Elm :)
Cost Breakdown:
Wood and Foam (home depot) $50
Batting: $8 (with coupon at local craft store)
Buttons: $12 (6 packs from Amazon)
Nailhead: $13 (Amazon)
Fabric: $25 (Target)
$95 Total
I love love love how it turned out!!!
Were already have a plan for our next headboard! Now we just need a place to put it :) The movers are coming in a few hours and then were packing up to head towards Ohio. Were making a road trip out of it, so make sure to follow our progress through Instagram!
Stay tuned this week for a fall tour hosted by Lindsay and Kristen (Im the 2nd!), and a few guest posts from some of my favorite bloggers!!
Read More..
Heres how we did it:
First we picked up our supplies:
1/2" plywood
2x2 pine (qty 2)
2x4 (qty 1)
1 piece of 3" camping foam from Home Depot
Batting
Fabric (I used a drapery panel from Target - in tan)
Buttons to cover
Gorilla glue
Upholstery thread
Nailhead
Tools needed:
Chop saw
Long needle (for tufting)
Hammer (for nailhead)
Upholstery stapler
We decided to make the headboard flush with a queen mattress 60" wide, a few extra inches would work too.
First the boys worked on the frame.
Above is the completed wood frame, minus the 1/2" plywood behind the legs (to make it flush) - which was added last, minus the 2x4 at the bottom on the plywood, minus the extra 2x2 on the leg. Whoops ... forgot to take another pic!
We measure and drilled holes for the tufting with a 1/4" drill bit.
Since the foam wasnt wide enough, we pieced it together at the bottom, using spray adhesive to secure it. Then from the back we poked through the holes with a meat thermometer. (We used an extra sharp kitchen knife - the filet knife cuts it like butter!)
Using a knife, we cut the foam at an angle (wider at the top) down to the plywood.
Using the instructions on the kit, we covered non upholstery grade with the same fabric as the headboard. Tip: use a little Gorilla Glue before you seal the button to keep them from popping off.
We laid the batting and fabric overtop and started tufting. Balancing the headboard against the kitchen island, David threaded the long needle with upholstery thread (doubled up) and threaded it through the back. In the front, I folded the fabric where I wanted it to go, inserted the button on the needle and sent it to the back to be stapled. I wanted the button to be pushed down to the plywood, so I used the end of a hammer since it was so deep. Tip: use the end of a thin paintbrush to help you find the hole. David pushed it from the hole in the back and I stuck the tip of the needle in end and pushed it back out. Finding the hole through 3" of foam can get tricky, so it helped us find the hole the first time.
TIP: With deep tufting, make sure to not to pull too tight between the buttons, the extra fabric should go into the folds, pushing the button down helps keep it tight. If you pull too tight, you wont have enough fabric to work with as you go to make the folds. Also, make sure to leave plenty of extra fabric at the sides since the tufts take a lot.
Tufting is a little frustrating and time consuming, but it gets easier once you get the hang of it. Expect to spend several hours.
After we finished tufting, we started to pull tight on the sides.
Love this stapler! Makes the whole process a lot easier. We found ours at Ace Hardware for about $20, but I think Home Depot sells it to. Get it :)
For the corners, we put a staple in and folded the front over. We didnt have any issues with it bunching in the front at the corners. At first, when planning, we thought wed have to fold it at a 45 on the corners (on the front). But this worked well!
To pull the edge tight, we added nailhead strip. I normally use individual nailhead, but since we werent going against a straight line, this helped, plus this is SO much faster.
It took us about 30 minutes to lay out the whole thing!
Also, we let the headboard free stand between the mattress/box spring and the wall. Having the plywood go under the mattress and the legs to the ground helps lock it in place. We havent had issues with it moving, but since it can move, Id recommend using french cleats to secure it to the wall to be extra safe.
We photographed it in our house before taking it over to our friends. I loved walking past it and looking at it for the few hours that it was here. Made me feel like I had a put together bedroom again (at least from the hall :)
I added black and white Marimekko pillows purchased from a Crate and Barrel outlet a few years ago.
and my Caitlin Wilson Designs pillow in tall chevron mint.
The lamps were found at Target a few months ago for $16 each. Finally, we flipped the drawer on our nightstand so it was white. Still loving my organic chevron duvet from West Elm :)
Cost Breakdown:
Wood and Foam (home depot) $50
Batting: $8 (with coupon at local craft store)
Buttons: $12 (6 packs from Amazon)
Nailhead: $13 (Amazon)
Fabric: $25 (Target)
$95 Total
I love love love how it turned out!!!
Were already have a plan for our next headboard! Now we just need a place to put it :) The movers are coming in a few hours and then were packing up to head towards Ohio. Were making a road trip out of it, so make sure to follow our progress through Instagram!
Stay tuned this week for a fall tour hosted by Lindsay and Kristen (Im the 2nd!), and a few guest posts from some of my favorite bloggers!!
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