Anyone doing some woodworking?

[dave1600]

Got to stop looking at this thread, keeps costing me money. Well, it will tomorrow as I drive past a Total Tools on the way to work.

Been making Merbau handrails, including some for a few sets of stairs that are at an angle to the posts, this should make screwing them together easier.

[Roadsailing]

The Bunnings Craftright one is half the Kreg price, but much more of a fuckaround to use (And I can't tell if it's actually got a steel insert - the home depot cheapy the americans talk about doesn't, and wears out very fast). The Kreg has adjustable stops that are pre positioned for common material thicknesses (12mm through to 38mm) and a neat jig for setting the drill stop built into the case. Having brought and used the Kreg before knowing about the craftright, I'd still fork out the $60 for the Kreg any day of the week.


I guess that's where I'd throw a doweling jig at it and use alignment dowels as well as the pocket screws. Like I said - down the rabbit hole I go!
The Bunnings Haron jig @ $21.95 looks like it'd do the job - possibly with more flexibility than the more expensive ones.

Looks like it has a steel bush and grub screwed collar in the picture, I didn't notice anything amiss when I was looking at bunnings. My kreg jig doesn't have any stops on it, it's pretty much the same as the bunnings one but blue. The drill holder on the side is a bit dumb though, I find with mine I have to clamp a block of wood next to it so the drill doesn't make the jig walk along the board, so you would want to cut that thing off. Also I reckon the kreg screws would be a lot better than bugle heads in thin endgrain.

that's a great deal at TT, was gunna mention they sell kreg stuff for the weirdos who don't go there every week. I've looked at dowel jigs in bunnings but they are easy enough to make, an easy way to dowel a butt joint when appearance isn't a factor is to glue and brad nail or screw the joint together, then drill a hole through both boards and put a dowel in with glue. Making your own dowels is pretty easy too, here's some shameful self promotion of one of my less popular videos that covers the use of a homebrew dowel jig and dowel making https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4jZ1mpXj7w

Lots of "makers" seem to like the festool domino jig, i'd probably get a biscuit joiner if I did much of that kind of thing because I don't have the time or money for festool.

In other news I finally made a crosscut sled for my table saw, it's pretty awesome even though I have this weird feeling it is going to end up cutting a finger off.

[Gammaboy]

Looks like it has a steel bush and grub screwed collar in the picture, I didn't notice anything amiss when I was looking at bunnings. My kreg jig doesn't have any stops on it, it's pretty much the same as the bunnings one but blue. The drill holder on the side is a bit dumb though, I find with mine I have to clamp a block of wood next to it so the drill doesn't make the jig walk along the board, so you would want to cut that thing off.

Ahh, you have the mini Kreg jig. The R3 with it's pre set stops is so easy. It's also got provision for a self tapper to be used for clamping it in place you can't get a clamp on it.
I suspect with a long enough drill you could use the R3 for doweling joints too - they just won't be square to the joint (Which would still be handy when doing repairs)

[dillyboy]

With the pool coming I've decided to make my own BBQ & patio furniture.

Started out today with the first couch:

Started as a pile of 90x35 in 6m lengths:



Then attacked it with the saw:



I hate painting so the nopics was in charge of paint (one coat of exterior paint & prime done and another to come after it's built)





Just PVA & screws to hold the whole thing together:



Just went with IKEA cushions as they're cheap & look pretty good:



It's heavy as fuck so at least the kids wont be dragging it all over the patio. Second couch will be missing one arm so it can be configured in an L shape.

I've conferences the next two weekends for work so may have to wait a few weeks to finish off the rest

[Roadsailing]

It's heavy as fuck so at least the kids wont be dragging it all over the patio. Second couch will be missing one arm so it can be configured in an L shape.

I've conferences the next two weekends for work so may have to wait a few weeks to finish off the rest

nice one, for chunky stuff like this I'd be using batten screws, very strong, surprisingly cheap and would suit the look too.

[dillyboy]

Yeah I was regretting my choice of hardware once I started building. especially when I didn't think about how to attach the back support & had to screw them through on an angle

If it starts to get a bit creaky I'll swap them out with batten screws

[Roadsailing]

Yeah I was regretting my choice of hardware once I started building. especially when I didn't think about how to attach the back support & had to screw them through on an angle

If it starts to get a bit creaky I'll swap them out with batten screws

Coach bolts are great too, buy in bulk and you will find many uses for them. I recently replaced the wobbly wood legs on my workbench with steel legs and used coach bolts and batten screws to hold them on, I've had the heads break off "normal" screws before which is annoying on a few levels.

[da9jeff]

Small project complete. Dressed and polished a bunnings hardwood panel and slapped it on an old Ikea table base that I got for free from my brother who also used it as an interim dinner table. Used some plain epoxy resin mixed with black oxide to fill in the knots etc. Pretty happy with how it turned out.

Was thinking oil but decided on bondall monocel high gloss clear, did 1 sealer and 2 full coats, came out ok for the amount of effort I put into it.

Next time I'll make my own panel, the pre made stuff has too many issues for the price, just need some sash clamps.

Down the track I'll make some fancy metal legs, Which was the original plan, and maybe try some TIG brazing and clear coat.



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[leadlight]

Horn

[garvice]

Very nice

[dillyboy]

Got stuck in & finished off the pool patio furniture this weekend.

Coffee table sorted:



And second couch with 1 arm so they can go into an L shape:



And the test run to see how she all looks:



Just needs an extra coat of paint & a few more back cushions to fill it all up.

[snavy]

Woods expensive, I find it cheaper to buy the wooden item sometimes? Bunnings inflated prices? I’ve never got wood for anywhere else!

[dillyboy]

Woods expensive, I find it cheaper to buy the wooden item sometimes? Bunnings inflated prices? I’ve never got wood for anywhere else!

Not expensive just so long as you don't buy timber from Bunnings....

The above setup was $300 worth of timber (and I've enough left to make another set) and $350 for all the cushions.

A set pretty much the same from Bunnings was $1,500....

[Roadsailing]

Woods expensive, I find it cheaper to buy the wooden item sometimes? Bunnings inflated prices? I’ve never got wood for anywhere else!

I get my wood from the bunnings carpark, they sell benchtops cheap occasionally, but the only thing I buy there is 90 X 45 and plywood, formply, melamine etc. DAR pine is pretty pricey.

[ronron]

As a woodworker myself, I don't actually know any of my woodworking friends that make lots money. We are all generally happy to just pay for our expenses of doing a hobby we love (I mean the expenses cover wood, toolslike those reviewed by protooladviser). Those I know who are making money at it do it as a full time business, i.e. making cabinets or furniture.