Want to buy good habits

I've been spending a large percentage of my time the last few weeks reading books on tools and woodworking. I can't say how many times I've read that you should always mark the pieces of your puzzle so you always know which end is up and which end should match up with other ends ... I just cut a mortice for the tenon on one side of a brace for my new workbench, saw that it fit reasonably well and was happy so I went to the other side and marked the mortice using tenon I had already cut. I carefully chiseled out the mortice using my disappointing chisel, which is still a good deal sharper than the Marples 5/8" straight from the package I tried next to it. I then went to test fit the joint and saw that I had flipped the brace upside down before marking the mortice.

The joint is almost completely hidden even if you are looking at the bottom of the new bench so it's not that big a thing. I extended the mortice and cut a filler piece to glue in and it's solid. I'm still kicking myself for not taking that 30 seconds to mark everything so it wouldn't have happened though.

Anybody want to sell some good habits? I would also be interested in purchasing experience if any of you have too much. I would be willing to trade some youthful exuberance if I could figure out what I did with it.

-Chris

Reply to
Christopher
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I have some slightly used bad habits I could let go cheap. The heavier used ones I will keep.

Reply to
Nut Tree

It just gets worse as you get older. A good habit: Chalk ... one of the most used "tools" in my shop.

Reply to
Swingman

With the combionations possible connecting a horizontal comnponent to two vertical components (pocket screws not an option) it's a wonder that anything fits together at the desired orientations. Wait 'til you do the glue up! You haven't lived until you've got the parts glued in place on the bottom half, the upper half parts are all glued and ready to go and OOPS - one or more parts is/are upside down, or rotatated 180 on the vertical axis or ...

So many ways to screw up, so few ways to do it right. Check out my latest OOPS! page. Back track to see some of the earlier F**K UPS!

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There's a "triangle" marking method that might help. I think this is the one Tom referred to.

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Now if I'd just use what I've learned - the hardway.

charlie b

PS Expensive tools don't come with the skills and knowledge necessary to use them correctly. But there are still a lot of folks who think that if they spend a lot of money on tools, heirloom quality furniture will auto- matically spew from them. Marketing folks exploit this all the time. Young guys think a tricked out car with a humongous sound system will attract girls. They'd score more hanging out at a stable and using the money to take a girl out to dinner or a chick movie on a regular basis. DAMHIKT.

Reply to
charlie b

"Christopher" : ............................................. I then : went to test fit the joint and saw that I had flipped the brace upside down : before marking the mortice.

: Anybody want to sell some good habits? I would also be interested in : purchasing experience if any of you have too much. I would be willing to : trade some youthful exuberance if I could figure out what I did with it.

Free of charge (and of advertising and sneaky dodges) is some information on my web site concerning the use of 'face side' and 'face edge' marks. Please look at 'Marking Out Notes'.

Jeff G

-- Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK Email address is username@ISP username is amgron ISP is clara.co.uk Website

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Reply to
Jeff Gorman

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