Rudimentary Wood Working

[Bob La Londe]

I had my dad bring me a section of log the other day. Not particular big. Maybe 7 inches in diameter, and 2 and a half feet long. A neighbor of his wanted it split in half with flat faces to paint on. Doesn't seem like a big deal on the face of it, but it turned into a little project. My dad tried to split it on my bandsaw... that was a mistake. It went bad almost instantly.

Finally I built an square MDF frame around it, and screwed the frame to the log. We cut it on the table saw, and then flipped it over and cut it thru from the other side. There was hardly any ridge n the middle at all, but there was a nasty bevel on one end of one side from the bandsaw. I set each half fram ont eh mill, and milled the two pieces flat. Then I removed all the screws and removed the two log halves from the frames.

Viola!

It got me thinking how much we have gotten dependent on atleast partially preprocessed wood. I know some of you guys can take a broke off cherry twig and whittle it into an armoire with a pocket knife, but it still made me appreciate even rough cut lumber.

[Dave Balderstone]

When I was a boy, we didn't even have hand tools, had to use our teeth. I once made an entire bedroom suite using only my left molars...

[John Grossbohlin]

Sounds like splitting it (maul, wedge, etc.) and planning would work...

[Michael]

That's what I was thinking, and then a scrub plane.

[G. Ross]

snip

I always wanted to make a viola, but as John said, that would take a lot of planning.

[brian]

Maybe you should start with a plain viola?

[xxxx]

[e-mail] wrote in news:399a9535-22c6-43c0-a219- [e-mail]:

I prefer chocolate myself.

[krw]

You can just buy them.

;-)

[Bob La Londe]

I don't think I have a wedge around anywhere. I suppose I could have used a hatchet and a hammer. I thought I planned it out pretty well once I took it over. Planing on the other hand is an option... I think I have a couple wood planes around somewhere. Actually the mill made a perfect surface for the art painting the person wanted. I just wasn't crazy about having ANY sawdust on my mill. Stood there with a vacuum hose the whole time it was cutting.

[Michael]

You'll want to use a scrub plane first. If you start with something like a jack plane, you'll be at it a good long while.

[Michael]

Now that I think about it, I would use the following sequence: axe, draw knife, scrub plane, jack plane, finish plane.

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------------------------- Time to fire up my Porter Cable "Choo-choo" belt sander equipped with 3x24, 24 grit belts, some chalk and a straight edge.

Lew

[tomwalz]

I have never been all that confident about splitting wood exactly in half with two smooth sides. The closes I have come is cedar and the side were pretty ridged.

Personally I think you accomplished what you set out to do. Sounds like a win to meet.

Real life is different than school. In real life you get to keep taking the test until you get it right.

[Morgans]

"Lew Hodgett" wrote

Chuckle> I know what you mean by the choo choo. I have a Milwaukee 4 x 24 that will pull your shoulders out of socket if you use it for long enough with a 24 grit belt. Oh, and don't forget a stack of belt cleaner erasers!

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------------------------------------------- "Morgans" wrote:

-------------------------------------------- Belt erasers on 24 grit belt is pretty much a waste of time.

The grit looses it's edge long before the belt clogs.

Buy the belts in lots of 30 if you expect a price.

Lew

[woodchucker]

Not totally true Lew, you can clean it quite a few times depending on the wood. Soft woods like pine can clog it real fast. so why replace what you can clean.

After some point it is cleaning, but not cutting ... replace it. But I totally disagree that it's a waste of time.

[Richard]

My effort at making small fiberglass parts

[Lew Hodgett]

--------------------------------------------

"Lew Hodgett" wrote:

------------------------------------------------------- "woodchucker" wrote:

--------------------------------------------------------- Cleaning belts is a waste of my time that can better spent negotiating a price for belts or using belts that still cut cleanly.

Ever do any work on fiberglass and you'll understand.

Lew

[Bill]

Thanks for clarifying the "choo-choo" reference. I get it now. Obviously, I don't have a belt sander at this point.

Bill

[Morgans]

"Lew Hodgett" wrote

Fiberglass, agree. Kiln dry hardwood, agree. Belts get dull quickly, and cleaning perhaps more than once is worthless.

Sanding wet softwood clogs a belt with long fibers quickly, IMHO. A couple quick cleanings is worth the time, I think.

Sanding finish, cleaning often keeps clogging from slowing you down, too. Long before it loses its sharpness.

Getting lots of belts is a good way to go, though. Nothing like wasting time with a dull belt.