My Recent Project...

D'oh...

formatting link

Reply to
tom
Loading thread data ...

Larry Blanchard wrote in news:4MKdnT2bea5BV1XXnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@pghconnect.com:

I've been using the basic domino construction for years. It's a fast method for getting the benchwork completed, and strong too. I could probably build another module in about 3 hours, starting with plywood,

1x4s and 2x4s.

The new layout is L-girder construction, but it's being built in sections no larger than about 25 sq ft. Should I ever need to move it, it will come apart. I've been using dowel rods and screws to hold the various modules together, but now that I think about it a carriage bolt would do exactly the same thing.

I recently discovered something called an insert nut that's perfect for leveling. It's basically a screw with a threaded hole in the center of it that allows a carriage bolt or other machine thread bolt to adjust easily.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

That sounds a lot like what used to be called a barrel nut, but that was just a cylinder with the threaded hole crosswise in the center.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

Once was interested in model railroading.

Had the "Model Rail Road that Grows" mag as well as the "101 Track Plans".

Found a neat 4x8 layout that had a double track, double reversing loops and a few spurs in 101.

What I remember was the simplicity of the structure to support everything.

A "L" fabrication front and back with more "L" fabrications at 90 degrees located as needed to provide a place to screw 1x* pieces to support the track and scenery at the necessary elevations.

Made a control box that could be folded under when moving time came.

It was a design I found in one of the mags.

Ring any bells?

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

A "barrel nut" has a female thread in the end of a screwish thingy, sorta like what I understood from Puckdropper's article above.

formatting link
cylinder with a crosswise threaded hole is commonly called a "cross dowel".

formatting link

Reply to
krw

I have the sawdust from 4 projects on the floor... well, in the trash can because I sweep up every day...

1) 27 dovetailed cedar boxes for a wholesale customer. 20 of them have a scroll sawed logo with 4 paw prints in cedar with walnut beneath on the lid. First coat of finish went on tonight, shellac, to be followed with arm-r-seal tomorrow and tues. 2) A jewelry box, the big brother to one I posted pics of a while back, with the angled bubinga legs and figured maple drawer fronts, and full extension slides that drew the ire of many. Still haven't sold that one, but got a request for a larger version with 5 drawers instead of 3.

I actually decided to shoot video all through the process to see if I could edit together something I can promote with. A lot of futzing around with a tripod. There's no video of me talking into the camera, just work. Maybe I'll do a voice over after it's edited. I've got over 50 gigs of HD video on the hard drive at this point. If you think doing a glue-up is fun, try filming yourself doing a glue-up. There's at least one humerous out take so far.

3) A prototype of a tiny walnut dovetailed box that will hold a really fancy bracelet for another wholesale customer. It's a challenge trying to come up with something nice that is easy enough to make.

formatting link
up using a vertical raised panel bit for the cove.

4) Another prototype of a small box for same customer, this one is to hold and display 6 little, I guess they are picks. It's getting a fluted base with a rabbet around it and haven't quite figured out the top yet. I don't want to have to deal with miters but it's looking like that's the only non-cheesy way to do it. The setup for the base is going to be such a PITA for one little box that I'm just going to make a bunch of them rather than just one prototype. If she doesn't like it, oh well I wasted 1/2 a BF.

-Kevin

Reply to
Kevin

krw wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

The insert nut (or as Rockler's calling them: Threaded inserts) has a screw thread on the outside and machine thread on the inside:

formatting link

The barrel nut is smooth on the outside.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:0027a391$0$24371 $ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

Sure does. I've got a copy of "Model Railroad that Grows" by Linn H. Wescott in a box somewhere.

The construction method described is referred to as L-girder, and it's got several positive aspects. Not only is it easy to build, but if you purchase dimensional lumber you'd only need a cross cut hand saw and screwdriver to assemble it. It does use a little more wood than "table top" construction, but makes up for it with increased flexibility. (The earth is not flat, why should your model railroad be?)

The control box stand doesn't ring a bell, but I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find some version or another in one of my older magazines. They used to be full of neat easy projects like that.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Good timing. Finished the end tables this weekend. Picked up the Granite tops on Friday and the handles from Horton Brass came in earlier in the week. Will put pictures on my homepage in the coming weeks, I've got a couple from inside the shop, but want to get some outside shots as well.

Interesting aside -- I had two of the MacKintosh handles I had gotten as candidates for a previous project and ordered the same kind from Horton Brass for the remaining 4 drawers on this project. The new ones came with the same "1902 Hill House" impression on the back of the casting, but it is obvious that they came from a different mold, they are a bit wider than the old ones. This worked out OK, I used the thinner ones on the top two drawers and the fatter ones on the bottom drawers. It makes sense given how Horton casts that this would be the case, and I'm not disappointed, it was just a piece of information for me to consider for future reference.

Reply to
Mark & Juanita

The control panel design was all mine.

Used to be in the biz designing automation control systems and then building the control panels for them.

Before the days of programmable robots, it was known as "Hard Automation".

Got tired of 80 hour work weeks so got into something else.

It had a graphic panel complete with zone control and indicating lights, all built essentially from left overs from other jobs except for the bat handled toggle switches.

Don't the mags have projects like that any more?

I'm certain with Westcott's passing, there have been some major changes in the mags covering model railroading.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:0027c042$0$24371 $ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

I've actually seen more good model railroading projects like a control box in an electronics magazine (Nuts and Volts) than I have model railroading magazines. It's a shame, as there's still a lot of people out there that build for the fun of building but their work is of limited interest to the model railroading magazines. (There are exceptions, of course, and I don't keep up with more than about 2 model railroading periodicals so my view of the world might be tilted.)

There have been some major changes in model railroading in the last 30 years. Besides the digital age, there's been a shift from kits to ready to run. Even the "shake the box" kits are being phased out in place of more expensive ready to run stuff.

The control box sounds cool. Zone control and indicator lights sounds like a very necessary thing for a large layout run with conventional power. (Digital Command Control eliminates the need for zone control.)

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Is that some type of metal cross dowel you're talking about? If so, I used them recently on the garden benches I built. They're excellent for construction and hold tightly.

formatting link

Reply to
upscale

the tambours pre made and just install them?

Any chance you have a picture of the inside track of one of those tambours installations or something similar? thanks

Reply to
upscale

Built the "appliance garage" (generally do that as an integral part of a corner wall cabinet, but there was no room for a corner wall cabinet in this kitchen due to a window, and wall cab's being 15" deep, therefore these were built separately).

Bought the "tambour door" itself. Although it is not difficult to make, by the time you factor time and having to buy more canvas then you'll ever need, it is much more cost effective to buy the tambours pre-made. They are generally available in 16, 24, and 36" widths, and for kitchens usually 18" high, and can be cut on the table saw in both width and height to fit the job.

As far as a track mechanism you have a couple of choices - you can route tracks in the side panels (done just using a rectangular board as a guide, which is a fussy process to setup, and you have to do it twice) or you can buy the mechanism you see in the third link ... which apparently only Rockler sells.

Simply a spring loaded dowel and a couple of plastic tracks. What you see in the third link in the original post, is all there is to it.

Notable is that this particular mechanism works very smoothly and opens with less effort that when the tambour door is in routed tracks, IME.

AAMOF, there is really nothing to a "appliance garage" except a three sided face frame for the front and a couple of side panels, therefore they are very light and just the upward pressure of opening the door will generally lift one off the surface if it not tightly fit under the wall cabinet when made after the fact.

These particular spring loaded mechanism do not do that, and can be opened with one finger due to the spring, and are actually very easy to install providing you pay no attention whatsoever to the instructions that come with them.

Reply to
Swingman

I could get completely LOST in model railroading, but I dare not go there... :-(

Reply to
Steve Turner

"Swingman" wrote

Instructions? Instructions? What are these instructions you speak of? Hey, aren't guys suppose to ignore instructions? Something about testosterone.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

The percentage of modelers in model rr'ing seems to be very small any more. The operators have taken over. Seems they'd prefer to buy rather than build so they can get operating sooner - some even dispense with scenery altogether. Of course the industry, including the magazines, is happy to support the "buy, don't build" trend.

I like building models. I have a collection of MR back to 1959. I find almost all the interesting projects are in the ones prior to 1980. I've even built a simple throttle from an article.

Woodworking/turning/carving seems to one of the few hobby areas that are bucking the trend. Anyone built their own computer anymore? I doubt it :-).

As far as automation goes, I retired about the time customers wanted to build real time control systems with Windoze :-).

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

It's one of those things you romanticize about doing.... then when you finally take it up, you get about 3 hours in and you think, "What the he!! am I doing?" and drop it.

For me, at least. I've seen other guys who stay on it like a bonsai tree.

Reply to
-MIKE-

To use your words, "Well done.... Impeccable!" :-)

Reply to
-MIKE-

Larry Blanchard wrote: >w oodworking/turning/carving seems to one of the few hobby areas that are

I build my own computers because that's the only way to get what I want (mostly quiet!), and I'd like a solid-state hard drive (SSD) on my next one.

Although I mainly did it in high-school, I can make my own fishing flies. During the last two years, I have been learning to play and listen to the fiddle (old time). Admittedly, I'm spending more and more time on learning woodworking.

It occurred to me yesterday that with the 15 pipe-clamps Mr. Hodgett talked me into buying (he's a year older than I am) that I should be able to make my own headboard and footboard for my bed (besides a coffee-table and a router table and at least one workbench)!

So, I'm doing what I can to "buck the trend"--having a good time too! Wish you all the same!

By the way, interestingly, it seems WoodCraft and Rockler are doing anything but trying to "buck the trend"!

Bill

Reply to
Bill

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.