I must be getting old and grumpy in my old age, but woodworking and vintage tool sites no longer hold the charm they once did. In fact, I’m getting downright turned off by them.
CA Pen Finish mixed results
So Ive been in a pen turning mode for a while; Im having some fun with it, creating different designs on some slim line pens. Ive been using a few different finishing techniques as well. One is Shellac/Wax called Shellawax Cream. It is super easy to use, just put some on a paper towel and apply while the lathe is spinning. It creates a nice finish, not super glossy and has a good feel. Next I tried a friction polish, which is a lacquer based finish, in a semi-gloss. This is really easy to use as well; just apply to a paper towel and apply to the piece as its spinning. I like this finish as well, but I think I would like something with a bit more shine so I might try the high-gloss. Lastly, it brings me to the CA finish. Ive tried this a couple different choice. First, I tried it by simply applying it to the piece and wiping it on quickly, letting it set, apply another coat, etc up to 3-5 coats. Then I let it dry for a while and then wet sand it up to 2000 grit. This actually came out really nice, but was a bit fussy at first. Next, I read about using BLO with CA so I tried that. That is really easy to do, but I dont seem get the nice high-gloss finish that I do with just the CA build up. Im applying BLO to the paper towel, and then CA over that. For some reason, it doesnt seem to build up as well. I would love some feedback on how others use the CA process; Ive watched a couple videos online about it, and read through some articles, but Im just not "getting it" so far, but Im going to keep trying.
The pen below was finished with the BLO and CA combination the I outlined above, it is made from Tiger Maple. It came out well, but I would like a bit more gloss finish on it. Im thinking I should have put a couple more coats on and then wet sand it. I will try that next.
The pen below was finished with the BLO and CA combination the I outlined above, it is made from Tiger Maple. It came out well, but I would like a bit more gloss finish on it. Im thinking I should have put a couple more coats on and then wet sand it. I will try that next.
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| From Pen Making |
Milk Paint Samples
Ive talked before about how much I enjoy using milk paint; its just fantastic. Very easy to use, non-toxic, lasts about forever in its powdered state, versatile (translucent wash/stain or completely opaque)and incredibly durable. Whats more, it has the look of old fashioned paint because, well, it is old fashioned paint. Whats not to love?
You can use the milk paint by itself for a dull (and sometimes slightly chalky) look that is quite nice, but I really like it with a coat of oil, or oil and wax over the paint. This evens out the color a bit, and produces a wonderful satin sheen. There is only one down side - it also changes the color; sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Not a big deal, unless you are going for a specific look, then its nice to know what will happen ahead of time.
In the past my solution to this problem has been to mix up some paint, paint a few sample boards, then oil it when its dry. Not ideal. First, it wastes some paint. Second, the milk paint and oil continue to "age" for quite a while - so the samples are not perfect.
My new solution was so obvious its silly. I ordered two sets of "color sticks" from my milk paint provider of choice: The Real Milk Paint Co. Okay, really I ordered four sets, two each of their "traditional" and "historical" sets - but I just combine them. One set I left plain, and one set I oiled. And "BAM!", instant samples of both oiled and non-oiled milk paint! I know, its so simple...cant believe it took me years to figure this one out...Sheesh!*
Here they are matched up by color. The oiled set is on the bottom. You can see how some colors shift ever so slightly while others change dramatically. To keep them handy, I string them together on some twine and they hang in a corner of my shop:
Note: Ive added a "milk paint" label to this post as well as some relevant previous posts. You can click on it in the "Post Categories" list if you want to read and see more about my experiences with milk paint.
*I almost didnt post this, because now that I thought of it, it seems SO obvious. But then I thought, "What the heck, maybe this will actually help someone..."
Shop Jazz Upgrade!
One of the great joys of a human-powered shop is being able to listen to music while working. For years, I listened to my jazz CDs on a cheesy little player sitting on the shelf over my desk. But no longer! Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of Jazz!
Umm, sorry, I got a little excited there...
Anychoice, I dug up the stereo system that I first bought choice back in college. Its old, but man does it still sound good (of course, almost anything would sound better than the little cheese box). The only problem was that the speakers are the old-school kind - big, heavy, tower-types. I got by for a while with them just sitting on the shop floor - but continually having to move them out of the choice became tiresome. Time to build some shelves.
The shelves are pretty no nonsense. The only part that required more than sawing was the face edging. This got a rather large rabbet to support and conceal the plywood shelf, and a reverse ogee moulded edge to give it an attractive shadow line. You can just make out the rabbet hiding behind the dog in the shot below.
For the moulding, I used an E. Preston and Sons (England) sash plane. At one time this would have been used to make window parts, but since I dont have any plans to make my own windows (at least not yet...) it now lives a new life of cutting moldings on board edges instead of sash bars. This plane is one of a matched pair, numbered 1 and 2 that the original owner would have used together for greater efficiency. One of the pair would have its iron set coarse for quick but rough stock removal, while the other would be set fine for final smoothing. Since I dont spend my days making hundreds of the same parts, I dont really need this system, and I just use the fine one most of the time.
Speaking of previous owners, this plane has had at least two. One "C. Cooper" and one "James Hodges". I alchoices wonder about these folks, their work, their shops and their lives in general. I wish I could trace the line back to them and see what this plane had a hand in making. Just one more reason I love old tools...
Heres a shot of the final installation:
Now the jazz (and occasional blues) FILLS the shop! Heres whats on the "now playing" shelf:
Nat Adderley - WorksongColeman Hawkins - Body and SoulDoc Cheatham - The Eighty Seven Years of Doc CheathamRoy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie - Roy & DizJohnny Hodges - Triple Play (Hmm..Hodges...)
Dexter Gordon - Our Man in ParisAlbert Collins - Ice PickinClifford Brown & Max Roach - Study in BrownRed Garland, Ron Carter & Philly Joe Jones - Crossings
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? ????????? ?????????? ?? ???? ????? ?????. ??? ? ?????? ??????? ???? ????????, ? ??? ?????????? "?????????" "Translate" ?? ?????????? ?????. ???? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ? ?????????? ???? ?? ???????? (Russian) ? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?????????????? ?????????? ?? ??????? ????. ??? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ????, ????? ?? ??????.????? ??? ?????, ??? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ? ??? ???? ???????.????????
Pegboard project
The pegboard above the main workbench is done. I still have a 2x2 piece left but that will be going above the secondary workbench in the middle of a bunch of shallow shelves. Now the big question is what do I hang up on it?
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Bench Project Part I
I have about three dozen projects on my list, but most of them are on the small side. As far as larger projects go, the three vying for my summer attention are: trestle table, screen door, and settle/bench. The table and the screen door dont make the cut as the current versions of these items are still functioning. However, the bench is falling apart (dowel joints) so it moves to the top of the list.
Heres a shot of the bench to be replaced:
I bought this for Celena back in the dark ages before the shop. Its not too bad really, especially considering it came from a big box store. Its real wood (except for the bottom of the storage compartment - which is some MDF/cardboard type stuff)and the design is okay. It has performed well, and I could probably reglue it and get another couple of years out of it, but Ive never really loved it. So its replacement time!
I havent yet designed the replacement bench, but it will address the following needs:
Function: seating for at least two adults, storage space of some kind.
Form: fit in with the style of the rest of the house, fit the space where it will live, be constructed to last (no dowel joints).
Looking at my track recorded, I should have the designs finalized by the end of summer...
Musings in the wood shop bowls carving and the joys of working outside
Hi Everyone,
Well we had quite a rain storm pass over us last night-it rained heavily all night long. Minnesota must be the greenest place in the US at the moment.
I really enjoy working out of doors. I work almost all year around and sometimes that means it can be quite cold and uncomfortable. But at other times it means getting to work during amazing storms like the one we have going on at the moment.
Its interesting just how different the air feels and even smells during a storm. The sound of thunder sounds so much sharper outside than it does inside. Mix in the strong scent of wood and you have the most amazing work environment in world.
The animals I get to see are fun too. This year seems to be an amazing year for birds. Ive seen birds here that Ive never seen before. Early in the morning its like a chorus outside with all of them chirping and singing to one another. We have an owl and a wood pecker too.
This really beats working in a cubicle.
Ok back to work: the bowls that we made last month are ready to come out of their drying bags for inspection and final cuttings so well begin that probably later today.
And Ive been wanting to carve a spoon for the longest time. I have some arthritis in my hands and hand carving is something Ive given up. I think I may be able to get around some of the pain and stiffness by using a draw knife to do some of the rough shaping so Im going to purchase a draw knife and some bass wood (much softer than the hickory I use!) and try to make a spoon once again. Ill post pictures and discussion soon.
I will also be closing my shop for a week in July to clean out everything and to patch up the concrete floor. More about that next month.
Have a great day and if youre in Minnesota, go outside and listen to the birds and enjoy the spring showers.
VW
Well we had quite a rain storm pass over us last night-it rained heavily all night long. Minnesota must be the greenest place in the US at the moment.
I really enjoy working out of doors. I work almost all year around and sometimes that means it can be quite cold and uncomfortable. But at other times it means getting to work during amazing storms like the one we have going on at the moment.
Its interesting just how different the air feels and even smells during a storm. The sound of thunder sounds so much sharper outside than it does inside. Mix in the strong scent of wood and you have the most amazing work environment in world.
The animals I get to see are fun too. This year seems to be an amazing year for birds. Ive seen birds here that Ive never seen before. Early in the morning its like a chorus outside with all of them chirping and singing to one another. We have an owl and a wood pecker too.
This really beats working in a cubicle.
Ok back to work: the bowls that we made last month are ready to come out of their drying bags for inspection and final cuttings so well begin that probably later today.
And Ive been wanting to carve a spoon for the longest time. I have some arthritis in my hands and hand carving is something Ive given up. I think I may be able to get around some of the pain and stiffness by using a draw knife to do some of the rough shaping so Im going to purchase a draw knife and some bass wood (much softer than the hickory I use!) and try to make a spoon once again. Ill post pictures and discussion soon.
I will also be closing my shop for a week in July to clean out everything and to patch up the concrete floor. More about that next month.
Have a great day and if youre in Minnesota, go outside and listen to the birds and enjoy the spring showers.
VW
Coffee Caddy
We resurrected our Friday coffee group at work and the Galoot Coffee Caddy has been pressed back into service! I made this last year when our group of four became a group of five. Besides accommodating more than the disposable cardboard carriers, it is reusable and much cooler!
This was a fun project with a surprising amount of joinery: dado, stop dado, half-lap, double mortise and tenon, and dovetails. The wood was some mystery "mahogany" which I think is some kind of Philippine or Luan type. I selected only the more dense of the boards as some was too spongy or "popcorny".
Heres the final dry fit:
And a series of the caddy being disassembled down to its separate components:
After glue-up - first unfinished, and then with a coat of mineral oil:
A close-up of the dovetails. I just love the contrast between end grain and long grain after it has been oiled.
And final shot of the caddy alongside its mock-up. I dont usually do mock-ups, but since the sizing was critical, I wanted to make sure I got it right.
A fun project that makes me happy every Friday! Viva Caffeine!
mosheim clothing store pottstown pa 1882
well, isnt the internet interesting .. i recently received a message from someone on facebook (who remembered me from before 1956) informing me that someone on a pottstown, pennsylvania facebook page had mentioned or asked for information on the mosheim clothing store on high street. the person who sent me the message remembered me from a really long time ago, googled me, found me, and asked if i had any pictures. well, we lived in pottstown until 1956, which, i believe was very shortly after the store closed. i think my grandfather died in 1953, my uncle had already established his own clothing store in nearby pennsburgh, and my father was an electrical engineer, not a clothing salesman. so that, as they say, was about it, and the store closed. the image above was made by a friend of mine from a glass negative that somehow survived over 100 years. that negative is around here somewhere. if you click and enlarge the image, you can see the trolley tracks, and in the lower right hand corner, the date, 1907. pretty cool. and the actual image is quite crispy and more detailed than this picture of it that i took where it hangs in a poorly lit area by the pool table ..
the smaller image up in the corner is later, after the bank next door became more successful it appears. the victorian stuff is toned down some in this image. as mentioned below, the front of the store was remodeled in 1933, and in this photo, the trolley tracks are gone and are replaced by cars.
here follows a brief history from a mention in the pottstown mercury of 1937 .. samuel mosheim was my great grandfather and our son sams namesake ...
" Mosheim Store Founded in 1882 Nine years after he landed on the shores of the United States following his emigration from Germany, the late Samuel Mosheim. one of the pioneer merchants of Pottstown, founded the present Mosheim Clothing company. He opened a store at 144 High street, in 1882, and the store became known as S. Mosheim Clothing store. In 1897 the founder moved to the present location, 207 High street. The business was conducted as a sole proprietorship until Mosheim’s retirement in 1921. Upon his retirement his sons, Maurice and Edward Mosheim, and William Shively and Walter Richards formed the Mosheim Clothing company. The founder died in January, 1930. In 1933 the store was enlarged. The rear was extended and the front rebuilt. The store throughout was remodeled. The past February the interior of the establishment was modernized. The store deals solely in men’s clothing, hats and furnishings."my parents spent their final years in boyertown, close to pottstown, and we would often ride around pottstown and my parents would reminisce about the 45 years they spent there while i would try to remember stuff from my first 9 years. the drawing and photo below is of the house we lived in at 320 york street, until we moved to norristown, which was 20 miles closer to center city philadelphia, where my father worked at united engineers and constructors, later a division of raytheon, the defense contractor.
the drawing below i made for my parents for christmas in 2004. the photo below it that shows the mosheim clothing store, now the china pan, and our house on york street sometime im guessing in the late 90s.
the drawing below i made for my parents for christmas in 2004. the photo below it that shows the mosheim clothing store, now the china pan, and our house on york street sometime im guessing in the late 90s.
and while i was on the pottstown facebook page, i noticed this post listing the projects for the pottstown location of bethlehem steel, projects my other grandfather likely drove some rivets into .. the plant was obviously a pretty big deal
John Bondola
heres a list of beth steel/Pottstown fabrications, after historical golden gate. road bridges for pa turnpike, new Madison sq. garden/grand central. local HS buildings, including Boyertown & downingtown. varrazano narrows bridge, air vents for Lincoln and Holland tunnel, rfk stadium, ( first multi-purpose stadium). DC and NY subchoice structures, walt Whitman, twin bridges, DE, (with US steel), and finally, the last job before closure, in 76/77, blast furnace casings for sparrows point plant, which was secured for naval contracts.
Petersburg Mi How to make fluted trim
My next step is to make some fluted trim for a few vertical corners. I have alot of people ask me how its done, and honestly, there are alot of different methods, from table saw to router, but heres how I do it. Ill run a sample piece for you to see. Lets keep it simple...
First, you need to decide how many flutes you want. Anywhere from 3-6 is acceptible, but you need to do what looks good with your project. Since I made my trim a true 3-1/2" wide, Ive decided I want 4 flutes to get some boldness. If youre attempting this, make it easy on yourself and lay it out on paper first!
Ive chocked up a 1/4" radius round bit (or paddle bit) in the router table (1/2" total bit width). This being the bit Im going to use, I need to divey up 2" total flute width on my total board width (1/2" x 4 flutes). Ive found (by laying it out on paper first) that I can have 1/4" space on the ends, and 5/16" spaces between the flutes, and it looks pretty good.
Now, to make things more copasetic - Ill run one flute, then flip the piece backwards and run the opposing flute. That choice I get two flutes without moving my router setup. Then, with one adjustment on the table, I can run the two outside flutes in the same manner, and waalaa - a four flute trim board!
This is probably the simplist choice to do fluted trim. Note - this is not a stopped flute, it is a continuous flute. If it was a stopped flute, the setup would be modified, and Id have more details. I also couldnt do it until the bookcase was almost all built because I would need the final length measurements.
I hope this answers some questions. As alchoices email me if you have comments...
First, you need to decide how many flutes you want. Anywhere from 3-6 is acceptible, but you need to do what looks good with your project. Since I made my trim a true 3-1/2" wide, Ive decided I want 4 flutes to get some boldness. If youre attempting this, make it easy on yourself and lay it out on paper first!
Ive chocked up a 1/4" radius round bit (or paddle bit) in the router table (1/2" total bit width). This being the bit Im going to use, I need to divey up 2" total flute width on my total board width (1/2" x 4 flutes). Ive found (by laying it out on paper first) that I can have 1/4" space on the ends, and 5/16" spaces between the flutes, and it looks pretty good.
Now, to make things more copasetic - Ill run one flute, then flip the piece backwards and run the opposing flute. That choice I get two flutes without moving my router setup. Then, with one adjustment on the table, I can run the two outside flutes in the same manner, and waalaa - a four flute trim board!
This is probably the simplist choice to do fluted trim. Note - this is not a stopped flute, it is a continuous flute. If it was a stopped flute, the setup would be modified, and Id have more details. I also couldnt do it until the bookcase was almost all built because I would need the final length measurements.
I hope this answers some questions. As alchoices email me if you have comments...
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?? ?? ???, ??? ??????? 60-? ???? ? ??? ????? ??????? "??? ??????" (??? ??????????? ??? ????????? ?????????????) ?? ???? ????? ?????? ? ????????????????? ????????, ??????? ?? ??????? ?????. ? ????? ???????????? ???, ?????? ??? ??? ????? ????????, ? ??? ???????????.? ??????? ??????????? ???? ? ?????????? ? ??????? ??? ????? 5 ?????:
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??????? ? ????? ? ????????? ???????? ?????????? ????.? ????, ????? ??? ????????? ????????? ? ??????? ????????? ?????????? ????? ? ????????? ? ??????????, ??? ?? ????????. ? ???? ????????? ??????? ??? ??-???????.???? ??? ??? ???????? ??????, ? ?????? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ??????????? ??????? ??? ???????. ? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ???????.????????
... ? ??? ?? ?????? ??????, ?????? ???????? ????? ????????? ??????????????????.? ????????? ?? ????????? ????????? ????? ????????? ??????????? ? ?????? ?????? ? ?????????? ????????. ? ????? ? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ??????-?????:?? ?? ???, ??? ??????? 60-? ???? ? ??? ????? ??????? "??? ??????" (??? ??????????? ??? ????????? ?????????????) ?? ???? ????? ?????? ? ????????????????? ????????, ??????? ?? ??????? ?????. ? ????? ???????????? ???, ?????? ??? ??? ????? ????????, ? ??? ???????????.? ??????? ??????????? ???? ? ?????????? ? ??????? ??? ????? 5 ?????:????????? ???? ???? ? ?????? ?????? ????????? ? ????????? ? ??????????? ?? ?????? ?????, ?????? ??????? ?????????.????? 5 ????? ? ???? ???????? ????????? ? ?????????? ?? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ? ?????????? ?????? ????????? ?? ???????????, ? ??? ??? ??????????:Next Projects Large Hickory Bowl and Red laminated salad bowl Discussion and plans
Hi Everyone,
Well, its cool day in the northern mid west this morning-perfect turning weather! We also have an owl close by who has been hooting away a lot lately so its perfect wood shop weather.
We have two new projects to do:
The first is a large hickory bowl blank. I ordered this last year with the red elm bowl blank that I began turning yesterday. Id like to get this cut into shape in order for it to dry and be finished by fall. Here is a photo of it:
This is fine wood that is turning very well.
Normally I like to leave very figured wood alone--ie--I dont add any adornment to the exterior surface but this time I have hankering to add something to the surface-some beads or coves. Im not sure what Ill do so Ill stop for now and think about that before I continue.
Next project-Laminated red bowl
I wonderful friend of mine asked me for a red salad bowl some time ago and Ive searched heaven and earth for a solid red block of wood to accommodate her request but alas, no such luck. So in order to get a project going for her before I turn 100 years old, Ive decided to laminate a block of red-colored woods and make her a bowl.
Here we go:
I have some wood in stock that is red colored and its kempas wood, a favorite wood of mine for turning. Kempas wood is most often used in the US for flooring and exterior decking on houses. Its a deep orange red color and it turns wonderfully, but since most of it goes for flooring, its difficult to find it at all, let alone in solid turning blocks. Luckily I found some kempas lumber a month ago and had the foresight to buy it. This will make up most of the bowl. Next I have some cumaru wood, also found in flooring and decking and its a lovely golden brown color. It turns wonderfully and I bought some of that when I bought the kempas. I also have lots of hickory for contrast and a small piece of thin rosewood:
Ive gone a head and cut them to a uniform 4.25" in width and then I cut them down to 12" in length:
Lets arrange them into a possible bowl blank:
It needs to be a little wider in order for us to have a 12" diameter blank. Im going to have to add more wood but what kind and what color? Hmmm....better leave this and think about it over night too.
While I had the table saw set up I cut two platter blanks from solid planks of wood: one is black ash and the other is Phillipine mahogany. Those will become serving platters in the coming weeks.
So here we go again. Ill be back tomorrow to work on everything some more and in the mean time Ill give all this some heavy thought. So grab some coffee and put your feet up and join me tomorrow in the wood shop for yet another adventure in woodturning.
See you soon,
VW
Well, its cool day in the northern mid west this morning-perfect turning weather! We also have an owl close by who has been hooting away a lot lately so its perfect wood shop weather.
We have two new projects to do:
The first is a large hickory bowl blank. I ordered this last year with the red elm bowl blank that I began turning yesterday. Id like to get this cut into shape in order for it to dry and be finished by fall. Here is a photo of it:
This is fine wood that is turning very well.Normally I like to leave very figured wood alone--ie--I dont add any adornment to the exterior surface but this time I have hankering to add something to the surface-some beads or coves. Im not sure what Ill do so Ill stop for now and think about that before I continue.
Next project-Laminated red bowl
I wonderful friend of mine asked me for a red salad bowl some time ago and Ive searched heaven and earth for a solid red block of wood to accommodate her request but alas, no such luck. So in order to get a project going for her before I turn 100 years old, Ive decided to laminate a block of red-colored woods and make her a bowl.
Here we go:
I have some wood in stock that is red colored and its kempas wood, a favorite wood of mine for turning. Kempas wood is most often used in the US for flooring and exterior decking on houses. Its a deep orange red color and it turns wonderfully, but since most of it goes for flooring, its difficult to find it at all, let alone in solid turning blocks. Luckily I found some kempas lumber a month ago and had the foresight to buy it. This will make up most of the bowl. Next I have some cumaru wood, also found in flooring and decking and its a lovely golden brown color. It turns wonderfully and I bought some of that when I bought the kempas. I also have lots of hickory for contrast and a small piece of thin rosewood:
Ive gone a head and cut them to a uniform 4.25" in width and then I cut them down to 12" in length:Lets arrange them into a possible bowl blank:It needs to be a little wider in order for us to have a 12" diameter blank. Im going to have to add more wood but what kind and what color? Hmmm....better leave this and think about it over night too.While I had the table saw set up I cut two platter blanks from solid planks of wood: one is black ash and the other is Phillipine mahogany. Those will become serving platters in the coming weeks.
So here we go again. Ill be back tomorrow to work on everything some more and in the mean time Ill give all this some heavy thought. So grab some coffee and put your feet up and join me tomorrow in the wood shop for yet another adventure in woodturning.
See you soon,
VW
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Eating spoons finish photo
Hi Everyone,
Here is the finish photo for the eating spoon:
See ya later,
VW
Here is the finish photo for the eating spoon:
See ya later,VW
Removing Rust With Electrolysis
**NOTE: While my shop is pretty much electron free woodworking, this post is all about using electrons directly. Ironic, no?**
I was telling a friend and co-worker about my experiences using electrolysis to remove rust from tools and thought it might be time for a post on this subject.
But before I get started lets just clarify a few things:
1. I am NOT claiming to be an expert on this, but I have had quite a bit of success with this method. Most of this I learned on the Internet - but as far as I know, the "CAT Scan" set-up is my own idea.
2. Be careful - this does involve electricity and water and it gives off hydrogen and oxygen gas. I recommend doing this outside. (Which in Alaska, makes it a summertime only activity, so obviously these pictures are not current - actually, judging from the shop in the background, they are even older than I remembered!)
Okay, lets get started. For this example we will be using a Stanley #65 low angle block plane. Heres the before and after shot:
I probably should have taken pictures of a more dramatic de-rusting. This tool was not too bad to start, and I could have simply went at it with some steel wool or sandpaper. But, the difference is that with electrolysis, you dont hurt the tool at all. No abrasion, no lost of metal (pitting will still be there however). It is a little like magic when you wipe it off after its bath.
Youll need:
Rusty tool
Sacrificial iron or steel
Car battery charger with ammeter
Assortment of alligator clips/leads
Non-metallic tub
Water
Washing Soda (Baking Soda works too, just not as well)
Heres how it works in a very general choice. The tool and the sacrificial metal are attached to the UNPLUGGED battery charger (Important! tool = negative, sacrificial metal = positive) and placed in a tub of water that has an electrolyte (washing soda) added. When the charger is plugged in and turned on, the electric current flows between the tool and the sacrificial metal and a lot of cool scientific stuff happens! Basically, some rust on the tool is physically blasted off by the bubbles of gas coming off the surface and the rest of the rust on the tool is converted back into another form of iron. While this is happening, the sacrificial metal is, well, sacrificed in a slow and painful (okay, not really...) choice as it somehow erodes into the water. Also at the same time, oxygen and hydrogen bubbles are, well, bubbling up.
Now you know why I dont teach science! If you are interested in the exact science of it all there are a ton of sites on this that explain it much better than I do - just google "electrolysis rust removal" and start reading. But seriously, whether you understand it or not, it still works!
On a more pragmatic note, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Keep an eye on the ammeter - not enough current and the process will take forever - too much current (red zone on meter) and you might fry something.
To increase current either add more washing soda or move the tool and metal closer together (Unplug First!)
To decrease current either add more water or move the tool and metal farther apart (Unplug First!)
2. If the bubbles slow down, but the tool is still rusty, take it out (Unplug First!), wipe it off, and restart.
3. The process is "line of sight", which means you will either have to be patient and rotate things around, or be impatient (like me) and get creative...
4. If the water turns green and foamy, RUN! Just kidding, its normal.
5. When you take the tool out it will start to rust again. Fast. No really, FAST! Be ready to dry and oil/wax it.
To help deal with my impatience I created a "CAT Scan" rig that placed the tool inside a tunnel of the sacrificial metal.
Heres the carrier board that holds the tool parts. It has holes drilled into it to allow zip ties to be used to secure the parts (you do not want them coming into direct contact with the other metal). These holes also allow the current to get to the bottom of the parts.
Now the carrier board and attached parts is placed into The Fully Adjustable Tunnel of Rusty Doom!TM The vertical "tail" on the tunnel allows the battery charger jaws to be clear of the water (so as not to participate in the sacrifice below the surface).
Each part is wired up to a short jumper bar which will be connected to the battery charger (again, out of the water).
And here is a shot of the rig up and running on the back deck.
A last couple of before and after shots.
Me Box Part II
After plowing the grooves, it was time to cut the sides and ends to length. Which meant it was time to come up with actual dimensions. Since I wanted the bottom and the top to be made without gluing up wider panels (this was supposed to be a quick and simple one day project), and as my stock was 1x10 (actual width 9 1/4") I set the width of the box at 8 inches. This left enough stock for the sides to be 18".
I laid-out the first side, and cut it to length. First problem. I was out of practice, and the cut was pretty bad. It needed to be squared up with a plane.
Second problem. I was using one of my newer planes, a Stanley 62 bevel up jack plane. It cuts beautifully, but I had a dickens of a time getting the end square to the face. Id check it with the square, plane a bit - choice off! Huh. Plane again, and - choice off in the other direction! Now, Im not St. Roy, but this job I can usually handle without really thinking about it. What was going on?
After much frustration, I think I finally figured it out. It was the plane (alchoices blame your tools - just kidding!). I should clarify. It wasnt something the plane was doing; it was something it was making me do, or not do in this case. When I use my regular #5 jack plane, I extend my index finger and rest it on the edge of the iron just in front of the tote. On the #62, the iron is much lower (no frog) and without the iron to rest my finger on, I was not extending it. I was using a full four finger grip on the tote, and without that finger extended, my feedback was lacking; similar to depth perception using only one eye. Its weird how such a small detail can have such a huge, and incredibly frustrating impact. Im sure I could learn to compensate in time, but my solution for this project was to just extend the index finger out into space - it felt odd, but it worked.
Between the sawing and planing fiascoes, my 18" side was now shorter than 18". No worries, I just used that part to layout the opposite side - as long as they were both the same length, the box would be square.
With all the parts cut to size, I needed to create the corner joints. I was tempted to go with dovetails, but I was choice behind schedule (oh so easy to do when your schedule is not realistic in the first place) and decided I would just go with my standard pegged rabbet joint.
First, I marked the rabbets with a gauge:
Then I cut the shoulder with a dado saw - this one is an old Disston and you control the depth of cut by adjusting the bar across the blade:
I could have used a rabbet plane, but on cross grain work they require a nicker to sever the grain, and as the nicker cuts deeper than the iron the nicker cut is visible on the final joint. This isnt a big deal if the joint is hidden, but on this box it will be right on top, and I didnt want that nicker cut detracting from the clean joint.
So, after cutting the shoulder cleanly with the dado saw, I just used a chisel and mallet to split off the wood forming the cheek:
After that it was simple to clean up the cheek with a shoulder plane. Wait! Can I do that? Wouldnt that require a "cheek plane"? Oh English!
I made the floating panel for the bottom by cutting the stock to width, planing rabbets along the grain (rabbet plane) and sawing/splitting/planing rabbets across the grain:
Then, as time was running out, I got the box glued and clamped without major malfunction:
Time was up, and I didnt have a box yet. Although, that was actually very fitting for a "Me Box" - one of my defining characteristics is absolutely no "time reality" as my wife likes to call it.
I was going to have to find more time - hmm, maybe the gutters dont really need to be cleaned...
Concluded in Part III