Sketchup progress: Uh oh.

[Greg Guarino]

Someone suggested posting our sketchup "creations". I think that's a useful idea. Here's my latest effort, yet another revision of the end table:

I like the ability to apply textures to the surfaces; I get different ideas when I see something that looks like wood. But the built-in wood textures are pretty substandard. I substituted a couple of photos of my own; details from my own projects.

That worked OK, but I quickly noted that the grain really has to go in the right direction. So I rotated one of the photos to make a "vertical" texture. But then I had another problem: Unlike some of Leon's drawings, mine still looked very one-dimensional. Using the same texture on all six sides of a board made it difficult to see the edges without turning on "edges". I then discovered that I could adjust the color of the material. I made a slightly darker version and applied that to two opposing faces of each component. That made the edges easier to see.

So here's the "uh-oh" part. Although still rudimentary, with the help of several folks here, my Sketchup skills have progressed, enough that I can now design things I'm not sure I can build. :)

In my previous design, the legs, rails and spindles would all have been in one plane. I decided I'd prefer to have them set off a bit instead. But I'm practically limited to available lumber dimensions, at least for narrow stuff (no table saw). So I decided to try the legs as 2x2s, the rails as 1x2s and the spindles as 1.5"x.5".

By substituting 2x2 legs for the previous design (a 2x3 and a 1x3 in an "L") and offsetting the rails, I now need to bite a square out of each corner of the shelves:

I'm not sure of the best way to do that. I have a back saw, a finer-toothed "reversible" saw I bought years ago for flush-cutting dowels (it has a "back", not flexible) and a jig saw. I suppose I could even get the router table into the action, trimming a rough hand-cut to be exact.

Any suggestions?

[Leon]

Nothing wrong with that!

A hint here, if you turn the shadows off you free up a lot of resources on your computer.

You basically need two different material orientation directionless, vertical and horizontal.

I have a boat load of wood materials with both orientations. I can send them to you via e-mail if you wish. 1.6 mg total.

I would use a jig saw with a speed square to guide the edge of the foot. I do this all the time. The trick is to use a smooth cutting blade. Bosch for instance.

[Swingman]

Don't have a fear of using a good handsaw to perform that operation. Just do some practicing beforehand on project scrap beforehand so you get a feel of how that particular wood cuts with the saw you're using.

That said, in this model is another option for mounting shelves between table legs using cleats, a time honored method of old time furniture makers:

[dadiOH]

Get a dozuki.

[Greg Guarino]

I only added the shadows at the end. Most of the drawing was done monochrome. And these days the computers in our house are pretty fast.

Sure! I wonder if those samples will eventually cost me money though ... after I get "hooked" the fancier wood in the drawings. :)

I hardly ever use the jigsaws I have. I'd have to see if either of them seems in good enough shape. But I never saw anything without some sort of fence, so that much is covered. I'll probably do what I always do: make more test pieces.

[Greg Guarino]

On 1/19/2014 1:50 PM, dadiOH wrote: > "Greg Guarino" wrote in message

[Leon]

You Got Mail

[dadiOH]

Yes. They cut on the pull and are very sharp and very thin. It is easy to make accurate straight line cuts with them. It is also very easy to shave off 1/16th. Or even 1/32nd.

On the negative side, the teeth are pretty tender and it isn't hard to break them off.

[Greg Guarino]

Wow. A whole lumber yard in my inbox. I can already see my "prediction" above coming true. Thanks.

[Greg Guarino]

I'm leaning toward cutting the corners by hand. At lest the cuts would be straight. I'm not sure I currently have the proper saw though. I have a regular backsaw, which is probably too coarse. And I have one of those reversible-hand flush-cutting saws (with a back, it's not flexible)That one makes a reasonably decent cut, but the slightly offset handle never feels quite right for making "regular" cuts. (It's OK for trimming dowels).

I thought I replied to this the other day.

That's an interesting option, having no trim on the long edges of the shelves. I wonder if it might look a little "insubstantial" with such narrow shelves (which would be even narrower without the corner cuts and the trim). Maybe I'll draw it out and see. I've progressed to the point where I could do that in a reasonable amount of time and with most of my (remaining) sanity intact. Thanks again.

[SonomaProducts.com]

I never liked "captured" shelves like that. How will you account for expansion? Will the shelves be a panel that floats in a slot? What about gaps when you are in the dry season.

If you look at many/most classic designs you won't find that detail.

One idea is to just not have any lower stretchers and notch both the legs and shelves at the corners the fit together. You can angle a pocket screw in from the bottom (Stickley did it that way sometimes).

The other idea is to have the shelf sit over the top of the stretchers. It can terminate flush with the stretchers, flush with the legs or stick out past both a smidge.

[Greg Guarino]

The shelves and top will all be plywood of some kind. I may eventually try my hand at gluing up a panel from solid wood boards, but my skill level, tool complement and free time make stuff that's already straight and flat an attractive option for now. On top of that, I rather like the look of a hardwood border.