Inspiration for this post came from the SawmillCreek thread: I think I got hit by a camaro! It starts with a humorous story. Check it out!

Cumaru
“About as heavy on volume as Ipe, just as hard, but it smells like horse dung when milled, and the splinters seem to cause an immediate infection. Makes white oak seem like balsa wood.”
-Peter Quinn

Red Oak
“hard as nails which is why it’s equally hard on saw blades. The grain pattern is difficult to match when gluing up panels. I don’t even like the way it smells when it’s cut. And probably the biggest reason of all, it’s used frequently in styles of furniture that I don’t enjoy building.”
-Craig Stevens of Woodworkers Resource

Mahogany
“I think it is too prone to splintering and creates way too much dust when sanding. ”
-Tom Sheehan

Brazilian cherry/jatoba
“It is so stinkin hard and dense…”
-Matt Campbell

Wenge
“Every time I even look at a piece of wenge, I get a splinter.”
-Gary Herrmann

Bloodwood
“It turns to dust when cut, and wreaks havoc with my sinuses. Mahogany is the same.”
-Mike Cutler

Hickory
“hickory is impossible to plane without extremly sharp blades as it chips and splinters around any grain shift, the color is impossible to match to any filler that i have found or made, as it changes color all the time, and to remove the voids where it has chipped takes hours of sanding and leaves you with a wavy board.”
-Jay Angel

Purpleheart
“Dusty, hard, doesn’t smell all that good.”
-Ron

Cedar
“The shop smells like a F-ing hampster cage to me. Plus after about half a day exposure to it I want to gouge my itchy, watery eyes out with the corner of the tablesaw.”
-Karl Brogger

Ipe
“yellow sticky dust, and makes my skin itch, but the guy I was working with broke out with a rash something fierce.”
-Roger Barlow

Black Walnut
“The stuff tears me up - I’m not right for days afterwords. It has that smell that just about makes me sick to my stomach.”
-jeff

Maple
“The one project I did with hard maple, gave me horrible splinters and chunked out alot. Even the soft maple (yeah, right) seemed to be harder on my blades than other woods that I have used. The soft maple was 8/4, so that may have been why it dulled the blades faster?”
-adowden

Padauk
“creates a fine dust that gets into everything ,clogs it as well as staining any cloth or filter components.”
-purple thumb

White Pine
“too soft, too brittle and if cut the wrong time of year it will gum up everything.”
-rbdoby

Cottonwood
“it ABSOLUTELY has the worst smell of any wood I’ve come across!”
-SkintKnuckle

Sources for Least Favorite Woods:
I think I got hit by a camaro! (Cumaru…)
Wood - what’s your favorite / least favorite
Least Favorite Wood to Work With?

Wood Toxicity Resources
Often times the least favorite woods are due to allergic reactions. Here are some resources that could help you steer clear of toxic woods.
Potentially Toxic Woods
Allergic Reactions to Wood
Common Domestic Flooring Woods known to cause irritation
Wood/Dust Toxicity Chart

What are your least favorite woods to work with? Let me know in the comments…

Tags: least, favorite, wood

The biggest problem doesn’t seem like it’s mobility, but rather STOPPING a mobile tool from rolling so you can use it safely. There’s an astounding range of solutions for this below - it’s interesting how many variations there are on such a seemingly simple problem. I hope you enjoy the following plans, videos and diagrams. A note - there aren’t actual plans for some of these, especially from the guys who have the really innovative ideas. I think you’ll be able to figure it out though. You’re a woodworker.

Here’s what you’ll find in this post:
>> Meet Matthias Wandel and His 3 Amazing Mobile Bases
>> 9 Mobile Bases and Plans
>> 3 Mobile Bases for Portable Table Saws
>> Mobile Base Building FAQs
>> Mobile Base Forum Discussions
>> Bonus Videos from Matthias Wandel
>> More Free Woodworking Plans

>> Meet Matthias Wandel and His Amazing Mobile Bases
These mobile bases are extraordinary. Mostly because of their ingenious lifting mechanisms. You won’t find locking casters on these bad boys… just inclined planes and levers. SWEET! There are videos and plans for his table saw and jointer bases and plans only for his (not quite as astounding) mobile band saw base.

1) Mobile table saw base with lifting mechanism

Mobile table saw base with lifting mechanism >> (not really a plan, but diagrams and lots of description)

2) Mobile jointer base with retracting wheels

Mobile jointer base with retracting wheels >> (again, not plans but pictures and description)

3) Mobile bandsaw base (A really simple mobile base)

>> Mobile Bases and Plans
4) Universal Mobile Machine Base Design Guide (PDF)

This is an article with an illustration that explains how to design a mobile base for typical woodworking machinery. This appears to be for cabinet saw size power tools.

5) Shop Built Mobile Base (video)
This one has some sweet lifting mechanisms. Much faster and easier to build than the ones by Wandel above. This one is just a video, no plans.

Check out the discussion about this base in WoodNet for more good ideas: Shop Built Mobile Base (with video)

6) A Homemade Mobile Base with “Machine Moving Lever”
This clever lever makes moving large machines easy. Here’s a closeup of the mechanism:

Homemade Mobile Base >>

7) Mobile Base with Feet that Raise it Off Wheels
Nifty enough. Check it out - you might get some ideas.

Mobile Base >>

8) Easy-to-Build Mobile Base
I can’t tell from the picture, but this one looks like you’d have to rock it a little to boost the machine off the wheels. That seems dangerous, but hey I’ve never seen it in action. Your mileage may vary.

Easy-to-Build Mobile Base >>

9) Mobile stand with pivoting casters for stability and smooth travel
WOW. What a smart mobile solution for uneven floors!

10) Jointer Mobile Base
Check out the lift mechanism here - it’s super smart and super simple.

Jointer Mobile Base >>

11) Mobile Base for Joiner
Locking casters and scrap wood holds up this 300+ pound joiner.

Mobile Base for Joiner >>

12) Minimalist Drill Press Mobile Base

I don’t quite get how this one works… it seems like the wheels are touching the ground at all times which would make this a little too mobile if you ask me… But it seems to work for this fellow.

>> Mobile Bases for Portable Table Saws
13) Contractors Table Saw Mobile Workstation

14) Mobile Base for a Portable Saw Table

Mobile base from Grampa’s Workshop >>

15) Mobile Work Station for Contractor Saw

Mobile Work Station for Contractor Saw This is a 6 part blog series from LumberJocks. AMAZING.

>> Mobile Base Building FAQs
How did you folks move saw onto mobile base?
rocky brown: “i went to hf and bought a 2000 lb rated come along, hooked it over a joist in my garage, attached it to 2 corners on my saw with bolts and washers, and lifted it right up. done in 5 minutes.”

James Suzda: “When I had to lift my Grizzly saw by myself and not having an engine lift, I placed two 2×4’s on edge under the table but tight to the cabinet. I put some pipe clamps across these 2×4’s so they wouldn’t twist out from under the saw.
Then I built sort of a ‘cribbing’ with a pair of sawhorses under the ends of the 2×4’s and used two floor jacks to pick the whole thing up. It would be nice to have someone extra there to help balance the whole thing while you slipped the base under it.”

Bill Spievak: “I raised my old, and rebuilt, unisaw using 4 hydraulic jacks with welded “L” shaped pieces that slipped under the cabinet and clamped to the jacks.”

See the whole thread here: How did you folks move saw onto mobile base? >>

What wood is best for a mobile base?
Jim Becker: “A hardwood, such as oak or maple would be my choice for wood, but you can also get steel tubing for not a lot of money and it would be much stronger.”

Ken Werner: “The best wood for a mobile base is the appropriate size of square steel stock.”

Christian Aufreiter: “The base was built from pine about six months ago and I haven’t faced any problems so far. As a consequence, I tend to assume that hardwoods are not a must if the design and construction are thoroughly done.”

See the whole thread: What wood is best for a mobile base? >>

>> Mobile Base Forum Discussions
Mobile base ideas
Want to build a mobile base
Homemade mobile base
mobile base for cabinet saw
Shop Built Mobile Base (with video)

>> Bonus Videos from Matthias Wandel
Marble machine 1 in action

the 6 bit wooden adding machine

>> More Free Woodworking Plans
Wood Storage 101: 14 Lumber Storage Plans and 7 Storage Tips
32 Free Picnic Table Plans + Top 3 Most Awesome Picnic Table Plan Awards
15 Free Toolbox Plans for Woodworkers
24 Free Sawhorse Plans in the Hunt for the Ultimate Sawhorse
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Woodworking Workbench Plans
9 Sandpaper Storage Ideas (+ free plans)
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Router Table Plans
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to the Crosscut Sled

Tags: mobile, base, plans

How do you know how many board feet to get?

A SawmillCreeker asked this same question recently in “How to calculate board feet for project?” Like all things, it’s simple but with some serious complexities the more you dig into it. We’ll start simple, add some complexities to confuse you and end with some links to calculators and other resources that will really muck things up

Here’s one way:
thickness (inches) x width (inches) x length (feet) / 12 = board feet

Here’s a variation:
thickness (inches) x width (inches) x length (inches) / 144 = board feet

Ok, now lets get a little funky…
So it’s not as simple as figuring out your cubic footage of wood.

You have to account for waste in the form of cutoffs, any planing and jointing, grain and color selection, saw kerf, resawing, splits, and even cracks you didn’t notice at the lumber yard.

Some folks from the thread add a flat 20%. Others 30%. Some as high as 40-50% just for waste. No wonder woodworkers have to be such cheapskates

And now let’s further complicate things with some highly insightful quotes from SawmillCreeker Peter Quinn:

“You didn’t mention species. Pattern grade mahogany? For me, add a 10% waste factor maximum. You couldn’t build a bird house with the drops. Walnut? Add 40%, maybe more if things don’t go well. Sap, sap, sap. Jatoba? There are lots of checks and cracks that seem to appear only in the bright light of my shop but never in the dim light of the lumber yard! White oak? If color matters you’ll need to carry each board out into the day light, because they all seem to match under fluorescent light. Cherry? Good luck. Each species is a new adventure in beauty and frustration.”

So what were those calculations again for the cherry sawhorses you were planning to make?

Getting Way Too Technical About It
This is how the Departments of Commerce of all states require vendors to measure board feet, according to Gene Wengert a technical advisor at the WoodWeb (in other words he knows his sheet…. goods.):

For hardwoods: First, you need to use the standard length (4′, 5′, 6′, etc. and not include any inches over the standard length). However, 12′11″ is still 12′. Then multiply by the actual width in inches and fractions and then divide by 12. Now round to the closest whole number. This is called the surface measure (SM). If you have several pieces of the same thickness, add up all their SMs. Finally, multiply by the *standard* thickness in inches (not actual). So, a piece 1-7/32″ thick is 4/4, so the multiplier is 1. Apices 1-15/32 is 5/4, so use 1.25. The final answer is a whole number and not fractions.

For softwoods, you would use the standard width (not actual). You would also use two decimal places for SM and BF. Otherwise, it is the same as for hardwoods.

Refining Your Lumber Yard Strategy
Here’s a bit more from Mr. Quinn on how he buys wood for projects:
“You can punch a bunch of numbers into a spread sheet and churn out another number. That tells you how much lumber is in the finished product. What’s tough is walking into a lumber yard and picking boards that agree with the spread sheet. Figuring the waste factor and minimizing it its the hard part and no computer is going to do that for you.”

He checks his parts off as he finds them in the wood at the lumberyard. He even describes changing his plans based on the wood he finds available… As he puts it, “I like to understand my plans intimately then go searching for parts in the boards, not boards for the parts.”

Software Assistance:
There is some useful software for maximizing how many parts you get out of your sheet goods - Cut List Plus. I’ve not used it, but the site sure looks good Apparently it figures out your board feet for you AND helps you figure out the most efficient way to cut so you get the most out of your wood. It costs though.

More Software + Free Calculators:
Timber and Lumber Calculators from Woodweb
You’re not going to find a better collection of free calculators anywhere… they have lumber weight calculators to wood shrinkage to log volume. There’s definitely more of an industrial slant here though.

Woodbin’s Free Tabulator
You’re not going to find a more THOROUGH board foot calculator anywhere.

Board foot calculator from University of Missouri
Solid, dependable.

Board Foot Calculator in MS Excel
by David Lykins

Board Foot Calculator by Ben Erickson is as simple as it gets. No frills.

There you have it folks… I hope that’s enough information on calculating board feet to keep you busy for awhile. If you have any questions be sure to check with any of the folks I linked to

Tags: board, feet, calculator

Little did I know there was such a “wealth” of laser guided tools out there…

But first the laser guided hand saw video followed by a few choice quotes from the original thread… (and though I think the laser on this hand saw is a little bit much I would still totally love to have one

1) Laser Guided Hand Saw:

Woodnetter quotes:
BJ Kavanaugh:
“My laser guided chisels are not impressed…”

colibas:
“I might have an experience to help clear up why this saw is necessary. I had a laser saw, but I was having a lot of trouble getting my laser to line up with my mark, so I put a laser on the laser. Now it’s a lot easier to put the laser exactly where I want the laser, I just follow the laser. Of course, eventually I want to get a laser for the laser laser. I’ll get that later. My buddy got a later laser laser to line up his lazy laser laser, which made the later laser laser and laserer. When he began to saw, lasers went everywhere and he might have blinded his dog.”

Joe Fisher:
“When he used it for compound angles and crown molding, I thought it was actually pretty cool.”

Check out the original thread for more “discussion”:
Laser Guided HAND SAW

2) Laser Guided Scissors

I wonder where the laser guided scissors would end up on the Harbor Freight Buying Guide

And of course there’s a laser guided scissors video too:

3) Small Laser Guided Hand Saw

This one is currently sold out folks, sorry It would have made a nice companion to the larger laser guided hand saw. Here’s a “review” Laser Guided Hand Saw, Hand Saw 2.0

4) Laser Guided Drill Press

The laser guided drill press gets its fair share of jokes in the woodworking forums. It’s cool enough for me to want one (though that’s damning it with faint praise .

5) Laser Guided Pizza Cutter

Ok ok, it’s a laser guided roller for cutting fabric. But it sure looks like a pizza cutter to me. No more fights about whose piece of pizza is bigger either…

6) Laser Guided Pool Cue

Seriously? They make these? For people who take their fun a little too seriously

Via: Laser Pool Cue.

7) Laser Urination Guide

Yup. The laser guided pee path takes the cake. The urinal cake. Unbelievable.

More Laser Guided Forum Discussions:
Laser Guided HAND SAW Woodnet
Laser Guided Tools (NC Woodworker forum)
The Latest In Laser Guided Tools (NC Woodworker forum)
Guess what I saw!!! (AU woodworking forum)

Tags: laser, guided, hand, tools

I started off getting “blown away” by this piece called “Tex” from 1976:

That’s a bent wood barrel! HOLY COW. He has a whole gun series on his website: MichaelCooper.us. Some of his guns get a little, er, “manly” so may not be safe for work. His site’s in flash so I can’t direct link to any of it…

Here’s some of his more recent work - and you can see he’s come quite a way since his early days.

Gunrunner by Michael Cooper:

The Gunrunner’s from 2007.

“For this exhibit Cooper spent over 4000 hours creating Gunrunner, a 10 foot long low riding vehicle made from over 1000 individual pieces of beautifully finished exotic hardwood including tires, chains, springs, nuts, bolts and valves, exhaust system, hoses and gears.”

Learn more about this piece and Michael Cooper’s exhibit at the Quicksilver Mine Co.

And here’s one of his chairs, though I’m not sure I would last very long sitting in it…

This one’s called Peaches and it’s from 2005

Michael Cooper’s Tubester:

See more pics of the Tubester >>

This one caused quite a stir in the hot rod community… here’s a write up from WildRods.com >>

Michael Cooper in his studio:

MIchael Cooper Resources:
Michael Cooper’s Website
Formerly the Lodi Madman: Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper Split Personality 1982 (from Australian gallery)

Michael Cooper discussed on SMC
found this on the net
Too much time on their hands? (a “but is it art?” thread from SMC)

More Wood Sculpture and Wood Art Coverage:
Life-Size Wooden Sculpture of a VW Bus: Video + Pics (Lee Stoetzel)
Video: Wood Sculptures that Move (David C Roy)
All-Wooden Machine Made by 70 Year Old Woodworker named Del (Video)

Tags: Michael, Cooper, Sculpture

I want to go on the record though saying that protecting yourself from saw dust using a dust collection system AND a respirator is vital for those woodworkers who wish to continue using their lungs at current capacities.

This post instigated by the SawmillCreek thread: Dust Collection on a Budget.

Get the Dust Out with Your Shop Vac
If you’re just getting serious about dust collection then your first step should be getting the most out of your shop vac. More and more tool manufacturers design for connections to dust collection systems. There are collection systems made so that you can wheel your vac/collector from tool to tool in your shop and attach it as you use each tool. Also there are collection systems like this one from Lee Valley for those whose tools are stationary.

Family Handyman via Readers Digest has a solid write up on using your shop vac for dust collection.

If your tools are old you may have to rig up your own dust collection port and close up the areas where dust escapes. This write up: Shop vac dust collection provides excellent detail with those who have more time + DIYness available than cash (this guy goes pretty McGyver on his dust collection - it’s worth a read).

Consider making and adding a separator to your shop vac, though that will be one more thing you have to move around from tool to tool.

And you DIYers out there should know how to make blast gates too.

Windows Open + Box Fans with Filters
Another “bare minimum” way to handle dust is to open your shop windows and give yourself a cross breeze with 2 open windows and a box fan. Add a furnace/AC filter to the backside of the fan and you’ll scrub a bit of the dust from the air. This approach isn’t going to make your buddies from OSHA happy, but it will do something. I unequivocally recommend using a respirator if this is the only method you’re using for cleaning the air. Also, open windows and box fans could make your winter woodworking projects a bit uncomfortable.

To add a box fan to your permanent dust collection efforts, here’s an idea I found from Woodworking Tips:
“When it’s turned on, the fan pulls the dusty air up and through the filter. The filtered air is then expelled into the cavity between the joists, where it can return to the shop”

Also, here is a forum thread trouble shooting issues with filters + box fans for dust reduction.

Respirators are a Must
I’ve only recently become a convert to the church of dust collection. In part this is because of the forum reading I did for “5 Top Air Respirators for Woodworking.” Here’s an excerpt: “After working on a project for about six hours last spring, I began to have some wheezing and shortness of breath. I took a break and walked out side and felt better. This had happened once before after several hours in the shop and resolved itself within a few minutes of stopping work. A few of days later I went back in the shop. The symptoms reappeared in about an hour and were worse this time. They barely got better when I stopped working.My wife (who is a physician) came home for dinner took one look at me and said ‘we are going to the emergency room.’” Folks, even if you’re running a cyclone you still need to wear a respirator when you’re making sawdust.

Small-ish Dust Collection Units
Without going hog wild and overwhelming you with options (I will do that in a later article here are a few $400ish and under dust collectors that I heard good things about in forums. Not exactly budget, I know…

Delta 50-760

JET 708635RC DC-1200RC

JET 708640 DC-650

Believe it or not, I’ve read good things about a 1.5 HP Harbor Freight dust collection unit. I wasn’t able to find it with a site search at HF so you will have to take your chances with what’s readily available.

Dust Collection Resources:
Workshop Dust Collection Accessories (plans and stuff)
Equip Your Shop With An Air Filtration System (filtration is NOT dust collection btw…)
Using a Shop Vacuum for Dust Collection
Boat Shed Dust Collection
Keeping Dust Under Control
Shop vac dust collection
Shop Vacs vs. Dust Collectors
Small Dust Collection Units
Dust Collection on a Budget (SMC)
Shop vac. vs. Dust Collector question (newbie) (SMC)
Q: Dust Collection System in a Small Shop (SMC)
Shop vac as dust collection system for small tools (WoodNet)
Budget Dust Collector (WWO)
Woodshop Dust Control Good book.

More ToolCrib Resources:
Cyclone Dust Collectors: Gorilla vs. Clear Vue vs. Grizzly
5 Top Air Respirators for Woodworking
28 Ways to Recycle and Reuse Sawdust and Woodchips

Tags: Woodshop, Dust, Collection,, Workshop, dust, collection

In this article I scoured the web for lumber storage plans AND lumber storage advice. You’ll find the plans first, followed by the tips. On the plans I identify for each if it holds sheet goods, full boards and/or cut offs. Here’s the organization in case you want to skip ahead to a particular spot:

1) 3 Overachiever Lumber Storage Awards
2) 5 Rolling Lumber Carts
3) 6 Wall Storage Solutions
4) 7 Lumber Storage Tips
5) Resources and Citations
6) Other Free Woodworking Plan Collections

1) Overachiever Lumber Storage Awards
Some lumber storage solutions go above and beyond. I selected these either because of high-efficiency or high wow-factor. Yes, I am easily impressed - that’s what makes my job so much fun.

Overhead Lumber Storage Rack Plans in PDF Format

Ideal for that wasted space above garage doors… This is the garage woodworker’s dream come true.
Storage for:
Full Size Boards

Panel-Cutting Sheet Goods Cart

Get out of TOWN. Not only is this sheet good storage unit on rollers for added convenience, but there’s a dang panel-cutting jig on the front of it. This one’s a big time overachiever.
Storage for:
Sheet Goods

Workbench with Lumber Storage

Yup. This one’s an overachiever. You’ll be restricted on how much lumber you can put in there and actually get work done. Be careful with this one - you may end up turning your workbench into a storage unit
Storage for:
Full Size Boards
Cut Offs

2) Rolling Lumber Carts
Roll-Around Store-All

“It’s like having a lumber yard in your shop. Storage for long boards, short cutoffs, and sheet material.”
Storage for:
Sheet Goods
Full Size Boards
Cut Offs

HOW I DESIGNED AND BUILT MY ROLLING LUMBER CART

Storage for:
Sheet Goods
Full Size Boards
Cut Offs

Lumber Rack Made of One-Inch Pipe

(casters or permanent mount)
Storage for:
Full Size Boards
Sheet Goods

Sheet Goods Cart

Storage for:
Sheet goods

Roll-around plywood cart

Storage for:
Sheet goods

3) Wall Mounted Lumber Storage Solutions
Lumber Rack by Grant Smith
“a lumber rack capable of storing over 1000 bd ft of lumber for around $200″ For straight-ahead lumber storage you won’t beat this one for efficiency. Why reinvent the wheel.
Storage for:
Sheet Goods
Full Size Boards

Shop-Built Lumber Storage & Plywood Rack

Storage for:
Sheet Goods
Full Size Boards

The Ultimate Workshop — Lumber Storage Options

Storage for:
Sheet Goods
Full Size Boards
Cut Offs

Sheet Goods Rack

Storage for:
Sheet goods

Cutoff Catchall

Storage for:
Cutoffs

Bob’s Free Standing Wood Storage Rack

It’s not wall mounted… but it is SWEET.
Storage for:
Full Size Boards

4) Quick Lumber Storage Best Practices
from Proven Woodworking:
Keep lumber off the floor. Especially concrete floors - concrete is porous and will “feed” water into your lumber.

Allow wood to stabilize in your shop - it will need to sit for several weeks to acclimate.

Mark your wood with its size for easy reference.

from the Woodwhisperer:
“The bottom line with wood storage is that you should store it in conditions that closely match the final destination whenever possible.”

“Stack it FLAT off the floor in a neat manner so it won’t twist.”

From WoodWeb Knowledge Base on Lumber Storage:
Treat the ground under storage sheds for termites.

“It takes 4 gallons of water per 1000 bf to change the moisture by 1% MC”

“Wood Storage: Vertical or horizontal? Truly dry wood stored under the proper conditions will not warp, no matter how you position it”

5) Resources and Citations
Free Woodworking Plans - Lumber Storage Racks
Mobile Lumber Storage Rack - Lumber Support
Is this a sound lumber storage idea?
New wall lumber rack (pic)
Lumber Storage in Small Shop
Proper Lumber Storage (construction oriented)
Lumber Storage WoodWeb Knowledge Base
Lumber storage for a garage shop
Best place to store lumber? - Question of the Week

6) Other Free Woodworking Plan Collections
32 Free Picnic Table Plans + Top 3 Most Awesome Picnic Table Plan Awards
15 Free Toolbox Plans for Woodworkers
24 Free Sawhorse Plans in the Hunt for the Ultimate Sawhorse
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Woodworking Workbench Plans
9 Sandpaper Storage Ideas (+ free plans)
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Router Table Plans
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to the Crosscut Sled

Tags: wood, storage,, lumber, storage, plans

This comes from mark page in the SawmillCreek.org forums. He was admiring a Sawstop in the showroom. He says in the thread I actually got hurt by a Sawstop!!!:
“Was my second time disecting a sawstop and admiring the quality that went into building this tank. (Sans all the electrical safeguards). I was spinning the arbor from the drive belt inside the case and admiring the smoothness of the total system. I was pulling down quickly multiple times on the secondary drive belt.

“My index finger got caught up between the pulley and belt on the inner side. My finger thankfully did not go the complete turn between the two, or I could have ended up with a broken finger or worse a possible partial missing finger. Have a very large “blood blister” pinch and hurt like hell at the time. But looking backwards, we all had a good laugh at the store.”

Mr. Mike Heidrick “helpfully” pointed out that, “on the door you opened there is a warning and a caution/safety picture of a finger getting caught in the belts. You were warned!”

And it turns out Page isn’t the first person to be injured by a Sawstop… Mr. Michael King reported that, “Last year I was helping the maintenance men at our school move a new Sawstop into the school shop when my thumb got smashed, no, crushed, flat as a pancake, between the cast iron table top and the door jamb.”

OUCH. King wins.

Read the original thread here: I actually got hurt by a Sawstop!!!

More Sawstop + Safety Resources:
Sawstop vs. Powermatic PM 2000 in the Professional Wood Shop
The 11 Top Woodworking Power Tools That Give 100% Satisfaction or Better (Sawstop placed #11)
10 “Hard to Admit” Woodworking Injuries
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to the Top Ten Most Dangerous Woodworking Power Tools

Tags: sawstop, injury

So here ya go, a complete resource for building a picnic table from scratch. 32 plans and 11 picnic table sections. Enjoy!

1) Picnic Table Plan Awards
2) Overachievers: Hexagonal, Octagonal Picnic Table Plans
3) Classic Picnic Table Plans
4) Separatists: Benches Separate from the Table
5) Picnic Tables For Kids
6) Wood Suitable for Picnic Tables
7) Finishing Your Picnic Table
8) Picnic Table Videos
9) Fun with Picnic Tables
10) My Picnic Table Plan Sources
11) More Free Woodworking Plan Goodness from ToolCrib

1) Picnic Table Plan Awards
Our expert panel of judges (er, ok it was just me) declared these picnic tables to be the most awesome and outstanding picnic tables from the 32 picnic table plans I uncovered.

Most Awesome: retro 80’s hexagonal BEAUTY: THE PICNIC TABLE EVOLVES

Individual, butt-cupping seats for each diner, a revolutionary hexagonal shape, plus an undeniable 80’s flare. You can’t beat this picnic table people - it’s the queen mother of them all. Take a look and you’ll see why Mother Earth News titled this article - in all caps no less - THE PICNIC TABLE EVOLVES. I’m not sure it’s evolved much further since this one.

You can check this beauty out here >>
You can see the diagrams in the image gallery >>

Most Awesome runner up: A Picnic Table that Folds into 2 Park Benches

Step back Jack! This picnic table will amaze your guests. It’s more than a conversation starter - it will be the focal point of your entire backyard bbq for at least 2 seasons. You will have some guests who will not be able to stop talking about how cool this thing is. Guests like me for example.

Check out the foldable picnic table plans >>
Here is a video of building the foldable picnic table:

Most… sheltered award? THE SHELTERED TABLE

This one wins the award of most sheltered. Also, it’s the only sheltered picnic table plan I found. It’s outstanding I suppose mostly in its determination to make the picnic a success, no matter what the weather. Now if you could just hang mosquito netting from the roof line you’d be set here in NC.

See the sheltered picnic table plans >>

2) Overachievers: Hexagonal, Octagonal Picnic Table Plans
For some people the classic picnic table isn’t enough to show off their woodworking prowess. That’s why someone invented the hexagonal picnic table. And then someone else promptly trumped that woodworker with the octagonal picnic bench. I’m still looking for the dodecahedron picnic table that you can climb up into to eat… Now THAT would be awesome.

How to Build an Outdoor Picnic Table - Hexagonal

Hexagonal (six sided) BBQ picnic table

an octagonal Picnic Table

Octagonal Picnic Table

3) Classic Picnic Table Plans
The classic picnic table - benches attached to table - you could almost build it with your eyes closed. There are lots of classic table plans out there, but only a few with AWESOME instructions and write ups. I floated those to the top and included pics. All the others I just linked out to. ENJOY.

Picnic Table Design 101 (an outstanding write up - offers theory of picnic table building)

For picnic table engineers: “The fundamental basis for the design of this table evolved out of the use of 45 degree mitre cuts. This factor, combined with the desire to have the outboard edge of the seat top and legs align on the same vertical plane gave us the width of the overall table and thus, the width of the table top.”

How To Build A Wood Picnic Table

How to Build a Wooden Picnic Table (very precise with well organized list of parts required and cutting process)

Detailed plans for making a picnic table

Classic Picnic Table from The Woodworker’s Journal (PDF)
The All-American Picnic Table
BBQ picnic table (in metric measurements)
Building a Picnic Table
PICNIC TABLE
Picnic Table Plans
Traditional Picnic Table
Garden Picnic Table
Picnic Table From DIY Network
PICNIC TABLE (PDF)

4) Benches Separate from the Table
Do you find that the classic picnic table’s attached bench puts you a little too snug with the table? Would you like something that’s a little easier to store away when you’re not using it? Would you like more versatility from your picnic table? Can you think of any other questions I could preface this section with? Here they are in all their separated glory… the separatist picnic bench and table plans. Some are just benches. Some are just tables. Some are both.

Sonoma Picnic Table

Picnic Table Benches

A Round Picnic Table (unattached benches)

Canadian Pioneer Trestle Table PDF

Table and Benches Separate PDF

Build A Backyard Picnic Table (unattached benches in PDF)

Pedestal Picnic Table (pdf)

5) Picnic Tables For Kids
Your backyard parties will be much more successful with the kid table set away from the adult table… How else will the kids feel comfortable practicing those new swear words you accidentally taught them while building their picnic table ;P

Picnic Table to Go

Building a Kid’s Picnic Table

Kids bbq table (metric)

DIY Kid’s Picnic Setting (metric)

6) Wood Suitable for Picnic Tables
Ask 5 woodworkers and you’ll get 25 different answers. And they’ll all start with “it depends.” Here are some quotes from forum threads discussing picnic table wood choices. Your mileage may vary.

From Cody Colston at Sawmill Creek
Cypress would be my choice. It’s stronger than Cedar and doesn’t dent quite as easily. I don’t like the look of unpainted White Oak after it weathers. It doesn’t hold up that well, either.

Ipe, Mahogany and Teak would all be good but expensive choices.

from Peter Quinn at Sawmill Creek:
I’d consider quarter sawn or rift sawn white oak, cumaru, ipe, black locust, cambara, genuine mahogany, eucalyptus, jarrah, or iroko as a short list of worthy candidates. Black walnut is also known to weather reasonably well, though it feels vaguely criminal to suggest it for a picnic table. Cypress might be a choice if you like the look of it, which I for one do not. Sealing all 6 sides of what ever wood you choose prior to installation will go a long way towards preserving your investment in time and lumber.

7) Finishing Your Picnic Table:
Finish For Pressure Treated Picnic Table?
from Johnnyapollo
“After construction, put it in the sun and move it around for maximum exposure (including letting it sit upside down for a week). The green will fade to more of a white color. As already stated - it needs to dry a bit, at least on the surface, to provide better absorption of any stains you use. Next find the stain - you can go dark but understand that constant weather and sun exposure will lighten it with age (so you’ll need to reapply every few years) and apply like you would decking, using a pump sprayer. Try a sample piece (keep some cut offs) to see what stains work the best. A dark walnut will hide most of the green tint anyway - actually the dark walnut stain will probably fade into the greens as it ages.”

What finish for cedar picnic table?
“Left unfinished, they will weather (outdoors) to a fine gray patina within a couple of years. You can enjoy the natural graying or protect them with a quality sealer when they reach the stage of weathering you prefer.”

8) Picnic Table Videos:
traditional picnic table from BuildEazy - not very helpful, but may have good insights to the observant

Flash Movie of How to Make a Picnic Table

Build Your Own Picnic Table with Eric Stromer

9) Fun with Picnic Tables:
“cute” condiment picnic table

The Picnic Table Workout (this guy is serious… this is a book that costs $17)

sidekick driving on a picnic table: can your table withstand this punishment?

faceplant off of picnic table: can your face withstand this punishment?

I can’t understand French, but laughter at the pain of others is a universal language.

10) My Picnic Table Plan Sources:
In addition to spending an hour poking around with Google (site searches on woodworking forums + variations on “picnic table plans”) I relied heavily on the following picnic table plan sources. There are many dupes on each list, but enough uniques that they were worth sorting through for this list. They are in order of my opinion of their awesomeness.

Picnic Table Plans from the Woodworker’s Workshop
Free Picnic Table Plans from FreeWW
Free picnic table plans from Instant Plans
Free Picnic Table Plans from WoodworkingPlansFree

11) More Free Woodworking Plan Goodness from ToolCrib
15 Free Toolbox Plans for Woodworkers
24 Free Sawhorse Plans in the Hunt for the Ultimate Sawhorse
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Woodworking Workbench Plans
9 Sandpaper Storage Ideas (+ free plans)
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Over 4,000 Free Woodworking Plans
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to Free Router Table Plans
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to the Crosscut Sled

Tags: picnic, table, plans,, picnic, table, plan,, free, picnic, table, plans

HOW TO FIX 10 WOODWORKING MISTAKES (you wish you hadn’t made)
This is a classic article, focused on classic woodworking mistakes. It’s not gospel, and none of the fixes are mind blowing but it’s a great place to start, especially for newbie woodworkers.

1-3: ROUTER BURN, SLOPPY JOINTS, GAPS IN FRAME JOINTS
4-7: HINGE POCKET, GLUE SMEARS, WOOD DENTS, CABINET DOORS
8-10: SPLIT WOOD, BUBBLY FINISH, BOARDS CUT SHORT

Reducing Woodworking Mistakes from Howard Ruttan
If you find that you’re making a lot of mistakes and can’t figure out why, this article is AWESOME. Mr. Ruttan dives into your woodworking habits and helps to correct those that could be costing you time, money and your good humor. As he says, “My purpose here is to enlighten you as to some of the tricks involved in reducing the number, and quite possibly the severity, of the mistakes you make.”

Here are the contents of Reducing Woodworking Mistakes:
* Maintain your tools and machinery.
* Start out with straight, square stock.
* Use a sharp pencil or marking knife.
* Use the same tape measure thoughout the entire project.
* Better yet, don’t measure at all!
* The story pole alternative to plans and measuring.
* Make all measurements from the same face side and edge.
* Measure twice, cut once.
* Triangle marking or marking pieces to keep the same orientation.
* Account for the thickness of the blade.
* Don’t cut all the parts at once.

Check out Reducing Woodworking Mistakes from Howard Ruttan’s In The Woodshop >>

Woodworking Repairs and Fixes From David Marks on the DIY Network
David Marks. He’s your 3rd most influential woodworker. And he’s got some repairs and fixes for common woodworking problems. 6 of his 11 topics are more or less mistakes. This links below are highly useful transcripts from Episode WWK-513 which airs September 27, 2008 10:00 PM Eastern and September 28, 2008 2:00 AM Eastern. Set your tivos

Woodworking Repairs and Fixes, Pt. 1: Natural Flaws
1) Stabilizing a Knot
2) Patching a Knot-Hole Using an Inlay
3) Simple Crack Repair
4) Stabilizing a Crack with Butterfly Patches
5) Decay, Fungus and Insect Damage

Woodworking Repairs and Fixes, Pt. 2: Mechanical Mistakes
6) Repairing a Misplaced Mortise
7) Repairing a Simple Router Error

Woodworking Repairs and Fixes, Pt. 3: Mistakes of the Hand
8) “Stretching Wood”
9) Edge-Gluing and Veneers
10) Fixing Warped or Dented Wood with Steam

Woodworking Repairs and Fixes, Pt. 4: Plywood Tear-Out
11) Plywood Tear-Out

Dealing with Woodworking Mistakes (FWW - subscription required)

Biggest Woodworking Mistakes YOU’VE Ever Made?
Mistakes are as normal - and plentiful - as sawdust. But you knew that already. Here are some woodworking mistake anecdotes, some of which don’t have fixes except to tear down and rebuild… or even replace in some cases. All of these are excerpted from WoodNet in the thread: Whats the biggest mistake you have made?

Chris Billman:
“Made my first project too big to get out of my basement shop.”

lscraig:
I forgot to check the fence on my jointer for square before I jointed a bunch of large pine planks for a dresser top. It took me months to figure out why that top wanted to smile at me.

rfeeser:
Made two bookcases that didn’t fit in the available space because I forgot that the sides added an inch to the width over and above the length of the shelves. My wife was pretty disappointed in me: And you a Johns Hopkins graduate engineer! I don’t think I’ll ever live that one down.

halfmychite:
“I made a sleigh bed for the guest bedroom a coupla years ago. My in-laws at the time came into town as I was rubbing out the finish on the bed. FIL and BIL are saying how they like it and ask if I want help bringing it into the house. Of course I say. We get it into the bedroom, all set up we go to place the mattress in the frame and I hear a thud. I look back and realize I just built a queen bed and the mattress in the bedroom was a double.”

Aram:
Thinking (no, not even thinking) that “off” meant “stopped.”

Texan:
Not accounting for wood movement. Built projects in Houston, and then moved to Tucson. D’oh!

From WoodNet: Whats the biggest mistake you have made?

More Woodworking Mistake Resources:
Mistakes Were Made (Woodworking Mistake Annecdotes)
Correcting Employee Mistakes (in a Cabinet Shop)
9 Woodworking Tools You Wish You had Bought Earlier

Avoiding DANGEROUS Woodworking Mistakes:
10 “Hard to Admit” Woodworking Injuries
ToolCrib.com’s Ultimate Guide to the Top Ten Most Dangerous Woodworking Power Tools
Episode 49 - Safety Week (Woodwhisperer Video)

Famous/Clever Quotes About Making Mistakes
Quotations by Subject: Mistakes
Motivational and Inspirational Quotes about “Mistakes”
Mistakes Quotes

Tags: Common, Woodworking, Mistakes