ECN Forum Forums Off Topic Discussion Off Topic Discussion Any Woodworkers here?

I've always liked making things out of wood. Recently I've gotten better tools and have taken on more advanced projects, which means buying and working with better wood, which obviously costs more...

I admit to being a hoarder when it comes to things I think I can make something out of, or may need in the future.

My question is... what do you do with your stock/scrap wood? I've always thought it should be stacked horizontally, as flat as possible, but that's not really practical in limited space. What do you do?

I have wood everywhere. There is an overhead rack hanging from the trusses in the garage for long stock and 2 roll around carts for sheet goods plus a couple of stand up racks for short pieces of more exotic stuff. I was in Key West a couple years ago and they had a wheel barrow full of Ipe cutoffs up to 2 feet long. The guy said they were trash. I took all my wife and all I could carry. That is pretty cool stuff. I make lots of stuff out of wood, I used to make all my own computer cases when I was getting PS/2 parts for free and regular consumer cases would not work.

Since I got my raised panel kit I have made some cabinet doors. These are on my boat, made from Trex, just because it holds up better in a salt water environment.

I'll have to do more research on best ways to deal with storing the wood. At the moment it's basically outside under an awning, so subject to heat, cold and humidity.

Those Computer shots bring back some memories of the old PCs!

I haven't tried working with Trex yet, I'll have to give that a try. I just bought a Router & Table last winter (2019-2020) and have done some Raised Panel projects with it too and getting pretty good at it (I think ). I'll post some pictures later when I get a chance.

Trex is softer than a lot of "soft" woods and machines fairly well although the edges don't have that polished look you get on the planks. I always have a few pieces laying around for things that will be in harsh environments. I also like the Azek type of solid plastics. It isn't pretty like wood but it will be here in the next millennium. IBE is also that way and the price is similar but it is heavier and harder on your tools. It does finish nice and I use it for little things but I also have an Ipe deck in the new enclosure we built on the pool deck.
This is $2400 worth of Ipe back when wood was cheap 6 or 7 years ago.

I’m jealous for sure!

This was my first project using the Router (winter 2019-20) Made from pine and cedar.

2020-21 Winter project was Kitchen Makeover:

That came out nice. I haven't been that ambitious yet in the wood shop. I am more into construction.

I surprised myself with the results.

I don't really have a shop, it was done under an awning outside which I enclosed somewhat by wrapping a tarp around it and heating it with a Propane heater. At best I think I got into the 50s during the winter.

I usually end up in the driveway for big pieces but it is warmer here

All that I did back when we bought this house was backyard specials workshop, and always had a tarp handy for the pop up t’storms.

Neighbor’s workshop has been his driveway as his garage/shop is loaded with materials for the extensive project he’s into. He has tarps also.

My wood projects were new slab solid pine doors, routed hinges, drill knobs, etc., sand/stain/poly &hang. Oak pre finish flooring, trim molding, shelving, chair rail, exterior doors (pre-hung & finished). Oh, to have a shop!

Bill: Nice cabinets and Greg nice projects.

My God Bill,
You should be totally proud of that effort, especially the router work.
I bought myself a router 3 years ago and while I've used it for simple housing joints, profiling the sides of timber sections and what have you, I don't think I could even come close to that.
And let's be fair here, having something like that on show in a kitchen, it needs to be PERFECT, especially for domestic harmony and when your guests look at it, it needs to prevent them from saying "How much did that company charge you for THAT??!!"

Top work there, Bill, that looks great.

I agree Trumpy. Bill is a woodworker. This is Norm Abrams stuff.

I guess I am just a carpenter

I do have a "that won't break" attitude before "perfection". The joint may not be perfect but it is backed up with a simpson clip.

You Guys are too kind. I'm just beginning to learn this stuff. There's a lot of Instructional Videos out there for almost anything.

If I got serious about it I would need a better table saw. This old Craftsman has been beat to death and it was a low end saw when I got it. I have cut everything from steel plate to pavers and then I try to make a precision cut on a piece of mahogany

My Dad had a full shop in his basement. I wish I had room for some of his equipment, but I didn’t. I just have a portable Table Saw that I built a table around. It extends to the left side and there’s a drop leaf in back.

My grandson helped with the table build.

Now that's a table saw!!

I had an old Craftsman like Greg mentioned, beat up too. The 'extensions' were the foldable saw horses.

Bill, that's really great looking!!

Mine had the 16 ga pan extensions. I took the one on the right side, where the fence rides, off and mounted a router in there on a beefed up extension. Now I can use the fence and the guide slots for a sled with the saw or the router. I also drilled some holes for pins so I can cut and edge circles with the router. I have also made some jigs for different things with MDF.

I haven't seen it for a while but PBS has a show called "Router Workshop" with a couple of guys from Canada. They do amazing things with routers. The "Woodsmith Shop" is good too if you have all the tools to keep up. OTOH if you like old school Roy Underhill "The wood smith" does it all with hand tools.

Is Underhill the guy that used to go walking or skipping thru the woods on the beginning of the show?

I think he had a drill press that he pedaled or something like that... no power tools

Yes that was the guy. He used to work at Colonial Williamsburg Va before he became famous.

That's an oldie, gotta be 40 years since I've seen that.

PBS is still running the Underhill show. The Router Workshop show does seem to be unavailable now. I am not sure where it went but they may have a licensing thing since it came from Canada.

My Dad used to watch all those shows. Back in those days we only had one TV, so I watched what he watched.

They are still running the Woodsmith Shop on the PBS Create channel. That is the one with all the power tools you wish you had. Tuesday has a show about router joints.

Just thought of this last night:

I got a Craftsman Router for Christmas back when I was in my 20s. Never thought I'd have a use for it, so I never even opened the Box. Sears took it back for credit over 20 years later. They had a great guarantee.

I started with one of those Craftsman 1/4 " routers but when I started playing with raised panel doors my wife bought me a Porter Cable 1/2" that can spin up those big bits.

My wife calls him Roy Underarm. He would work up some huge pit stains in his shirt using the hand tools, and it would gross her out.

The Woodsmith Shop show is shot at a studio a few blocks west of where I am right now.

If you want to drool over their wood shop, check out the pictures in this forum:

https://thepatriotwoodworker.com/forums/topic/23635-woodsmith-wood-magazine-studio-visits/

I have a crappy contractor saw at home for rough stuff. For fine work, my boss allows me use of the 70-year-old Delta Unisaw in the wood shop at work, as long as I bring my own blades. It has a dust collector and extension table with a nice rip fence.

Impressive!

I'd be afraid to get the place dirty!

Greg,
It is so easy to go from heirloom furniture to firewood in one wrong cut with the saw or the router.
We all need to remember this.......

One thing Bill,
I've never liked the idea of the Table saw, I do all of my cuts with a circular saw over a couple of saw horses and 4 x 2" timbers between them.
At least the saw blade is below the timber as it's being cut and you have a guard on the saw.

Until recently all I had was a circular saw. The Table saw gives a much better & straighter cut than I could ever do with a Circular saw.

I have been using a table saw for about 45 years since my first major remodel/addition. There are plenty of things you can do with a table saw that are really scary trying with a circular saw. When combined with a "sled" (a carrier for small pieces) you can do stuff that is impossible with your handy Skil saw.

I have certainly made my share of firewood tho. I try to test a new jig with framing lumber and not the $10 a board foot wood I want to end up using.
Today I think SPF goes for that tho.

I made a sled too. I agree, very handy. Also good for getting a square cut on longer pieces.

I have a Tapering Jig too, which is does things that would be difficult otherwise.

My sled is really just a piece of 3/4" plywood with a 3/4" rail under it. I just screw stuff to itr as I need them. Toggle clamps are really handy.Amazon has a pretty good selection. I screw them to the sled to hold whatever I want to cut if it is a finger hazard. You can also screw a cleat or 3 down to make a bunch of repetitive cuts. It helped when I needed to make a bunch of octagons.

That’s basically what mine is minus the clamps. I want to add some to hold down smaller pieces and to make repetitive cuts but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.