I put together this week’s round up using Woodworking News and Notes! It scans Twitter for great woodworking stories that get shared by woodworkers. How could I resist posting a link to LumberJock dbhost and his epic quest to hot rod his Harbor Freight Bandsaw (this saw got 4 votes in the Harbor Freight buying guide…)? The words of wisdom from a woodworking professional rang true, especially with our recent posts on How to Price Your Woodworking and 12 Simple Woodworking Projects that Sell Fast.
Hot Rodding a Harbor Freight Bandsaw.
“As you may or may not know I am in the process of hot rodding as it were, my Harbor Freight 32208 14” band saw. The work so far has been.. #1. Harbor Freight Universal Mobile Base. #2. Craftsman Professional Universal Band Saw Fence. (functional, but certainly NOT great, planning on picking up some small HF C clamps to help it out. The clamps this thing somes with are garbage.) #3. Harbor Freight riser block kit. Priceless add on for this saw. #4. Accura Micro Adjustable Roller Bearing Blade guides. #5. Acculink link belts. #6. Timberwolf blades.”
This secret cost me $20,000, but I’ll let you have it for free.
“The second you accept money for your goods or services, you become self-employed, and the journey to entrepreneurship begins. You better have the thinking and mindset in place to begin that journey.”
Basic Butts
“Butt joints can be used in a lot of different ways to join two boards or panels: edge to edge, end to side, end to edge, etc. To make a simple square or rectangular frame, cabinet, box or drawer using butt joints is very easy.”
How to make a bandsaw in a pinch
“I screwed my jigsaw to a piece of plywood, flipped it over, clamped it to my router table and, voila, I had a makeshift bandsaw (or perhaps scrollsaw). It worked great and after cutting two ribs I was able to get cuts as smooth as I do with a bandsaw, which is pretty darn smooth.”
Rolling Stand for My New Planer
“The stand I designed is made from 3/4-in.-thick MDF, assembled with butt joints and screws, and rides on heavy-duty casters. It was super-easy to build, taking about 3 1/2 hours. I know it’s not high-end, but when it comes to shop fixtures, I like to keep them simple and durable; there’s no need to dress them up or spend a lot of time on them. This stand should last a while, and it keeps my workspace flexible.”
Hockey Stick Rack
This is a traditional-form hockey stick rack, custom built to house a customer’s 20-stick collection from the 2007 Ottawa Senators ice Hockey team. Locking bars prevent unwanted removal of the sticks.
John Fry Build Notes for a Walnut sofa table with Jacobean influences
“This commissioned sofa table’s concept was borrowed from a late seventeenth century, round, gate-leg table. The client wanted it in a dark walnut with “antique shading”, and asked that the back of the table be as detailed as the front so it could be used away from the sofa if desired.”
A New Approach to Beautiful Bowls (Wooden Bowls with the Scroll Saw)
“I’ve always had mixed feelings about lathe-turned bowls: loved the bowls, hated the waste. When I learned that a wide variety of attractive bowls could be made from small amounts of thin wood, using the stacked-ring approach and a scroll saw, I had to give it a try.”
Woodworking poster or chart
“I am a woodworking instructor and would like to find a poster or chart showing the commonly used joints in woodworking.” (2 links + 1 book suggestion)
VC’s Top Ten Tips for Wives of Woodworkers
“1. Sitting in the shop and staring at a pile of lumber counts as woodworking.”
The Woodworks Library of 175 (and counting) Free Woodworking PDFs
“A unique collection of over 175 complete books on woodworking and related topics of interest to woodworkers. The Library continues to grow, All Free, 24/7”
More Roundups:
Roundup: a Veteran’s Day Smile, New Mobile Workbench Idea, John Fry’s Tilde Table + MORE!
Woodworking Roundup: Pumpkin Scroll Saw Pattern, Speaker Plans, Denim Pine??!!
Woodworking Roundup: Favorite Shop Sounds, New Old-Growth Mahogany, Concrete Jigs and MORE
