The creek is drowning you guys.

[tiredofspam]

Wow Woodpeckers announced a Fibonacci gauge and not one of you mentioned it.

But all the bitching about the creekkkkkkkkkkkkk .....

[Larry]

tiredofspam wrote in news:xtednQgYL-0nElvSnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

I saw that but I don't have a clue how it would be used. Wanting to figure out a use for it and can't. If I wanted to follow the "golden ratio" rule wouldn't it be pretty easy to multiply by

1.6, mark it and cut?

I'd be interested in knowing what use you thing it would be...

Larry

[Leon]

It seems Woodpeckers might be trying to come up with too many single production tools.

[Leon]

Like using a calculator to add 2+3. '~)

[RonB]

Awwww -- Don't worry about the creek. I have been shot a couple of times for commenting on the increasing level of OT and non-labeled OT content. But so far rec.woodworking is still halfway clean in that respect. The "Creek" string gives the guys who are more worried about politics, Oldsmobile, gas prices, screwed up California laws and whatever else that post has degenerated into; than actual woodworking, a single spot on which to focus. Just imagine if 800+ posts as silly as those had been sprinkled across the entire group. Some groups have done that and have become useless.

I hope it doesn't happen here. But after lurking here for 10-15 years there does seem to be a trend.

RonB

[Swingman]

I've been here the same length of time and I notice nothing different in that respect. There's always been the BAD's, the various Bennett Wars, the "man in the doorway", the Joe W. Woodpecker's, ad infinitum.

Nothing has changed but some of the names ...

I do miss Apeman ... and all those naked pictures he used to email you of his "wife"/"girlfriend"/"whatever". ;)

Remember the guy who gave everyone on the wReck who wanted one, a website on his server?

[tiredofspam]

Nothing, I was wondering why everything was off topic and nothing on topic...

The only thing I saw on topic was how thing can a floor board be. Someone released a new tool and nothing... nada...

I just thought I br> tiredofspam wrote in

[John Grossbohlin]

Maybe the problem is that many of us have been here for so long we have pretty much run out of our own woodworking questions and the web-based discussion sites have pulled in the bulk of the "new blood" ?? The big commercial sites, like FWW and PWW, have surely attracted people who would never find the newsgroups.... and the many ISPs that have dropped the newsgroups have limited the pool of new blood. We old school guys are going the way of the dinosaurs? Do we need to evolve? ;~) How????? Rec.Woodworking t-shirts that have instructions on setting up news readers??? ;~)

John

[RonB]

I suspect at least some of them spend more time at a keyboard that in the shop.

RonB

[RonB]

And look what I am doing now. See ya - heading for the shop!

RonB

[Bill]

Well, that's part of the point. Left to other forces, many of us might lead less-balanced lives. The expectation, for instance, that there are folks here waiting to see me finish my workbench is helpful!

From my point of view, whatever time I can get in the shop is a good thing. That includes, shimming a door, finishing my drywall, priming and painting, installing wiring and EMT and light fixtures, as well as thinking about and doing woodworking projects (albeit small ones).

It's a fair bet I wouldn't be having anywhere near so much "fun" without this group! Every new thing I learn to do earns me a unit of "fun".

This week I learned I can't cut a 2by4 with a CS and a speed square nicely, unless I clamp it down. I guess I need 2 hands on the saw or the saw wanders away, especially towards the end of the cut. I tried 3x in a row, and the board just got shorter and shorter and shorter. If anyone has a suggestion for this, I'd be interested (as the clamping approach is not as fast). Maybe if I saw everyday I'll "hulk-up" a bit.

Bill

[Swingman]

A quality tool and blade ... one you can handle, and sharp, respectively.

Sounds like you're missing one or both?

Instead of the speed square try this:

[tiredofspam]

Bill, thats ridiculous.

I can cut a pretty good square using my foot to keep the 2x4 off the ground... It's not hard.

Now get to work..

[Bill]

Thank you for the encouragement! : )

I took a picture and updated my website tonight for anyone who is curious whether I really ever do any work!

[Eric]

Thank you for the encouragement! : )

I took a picture and updated my website tonight for anyone who is curious whether I really ever do any work!

==== How many workbenches is that now? Without checking the reflections in shiny objects, I see three, so far.

-- Eric

[John Grossbohlin]

This discussion reminds me of a friend of mine whom I see only occasionally.... I knew he was a member of my woodworking club years ago and when I saw him over the years I'd ask what he'd been working on in his shop. Several times in a row, spread over several years he responded "nothing at the moment." Then one time he admitted that the only thing he'd ever made was the shop itself... it's sort of become a tool museum! A couple years ago, after his parent's passed away, he moved into his parent's home and sold his own home. He's slowly been building a new shop... "to house your tool collection" I asked? ;~)

John

[Swingman]

Not to be critical, but the only thing that concerns me, strictly judging from the photos, is that the legs may be too close together for the height of the table?

It appears that much downward pressure on a benchtop overhang larger than the end "aprons" may have a tendency to tip the bench.

Disregard if you have assured yourself that is not the case.

And you are going to put another "stretcher/apron" assembly toward the bottom of the legs, right?

[Larry Jaques]

puppy to the wall, or the vise will drag it down onto his toesies."

-- Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. -- Thomas Jefferson

[Lee Michaels]

"Swingman" wrote

I agree. The only way a bench that narrow will be stable is if you pile 800 pounds on the bottom. That is commonly done for lathes. In fact I thought it was a lathe bench when I looked at it. Those guys must have narrow benches to get close to their turning. So they stack sand bags on the bottom. This creates a stable base and cuts down on vibration.

Remember the comment I made about benches need to be heavy? If you are not going to something really heavy, it must be wide enough to give a stable work surface. Particularly if you are going to install a vise on there. I have a fairly narrow bench in my shop. But it is made from solid maple and always has tools stacked on the lower shelves. So I can get away with it. It is very heavy.

Another suggestion I would make. If you are going to put a vise on there, particularly a solid metal one that sits on top of the bench, think about putting some additional wood underneath the bench to mount the vise to. A heavy vise on a bench can introduce extra stresses on the bench. If some of those stresses are shared by some kind of underlying structure, there is less stress on the bench top. Of course, I will confess to building every thing super strong. I guess that comes from seeing people hurt, growing up, who built flimsy crap. Not me. One thing I have done on small benches like this is to fasten numerous 2 X 4's or 6's to the top. Then install and additional layer on top of this. I have even put down a layer of 2 X stock, then plywood, then more sold stock over that. You can't have a top that is too strong, heavy or sturdy!

Unless you are going to bolt this to the floor or wall, or pile on lots of sandbags, I would expand the foot print of this thing.

[Lee Michaels]

Addendum: One other thing I have seen done to stabilize narrow benches is to install some cross pieces on the bottom of the legs. These extend out from the bench, on the floor. I do not recommend this. People can trip over them and get hurt. I am a bit clumsy myself and can trip over things easily. But I have seen it done.