Yesterday evening, I got the new Kreg 720 all set up and mounted on a piece of ply. This thing is the bee's knees! It's still on the bench until wall space to hang it becomes available.  

Today, it gets used to make a floor stand to store the 6x48 Shopsmith belt sander. Then, the bench gets cleaned....as well as the floor and, the continuing shop organization proceeds. It's been 18 months, or so, since we moved in and the shop is still a mess. I MUST learn to start putting tools and materials away after a job! Old habits, born of pure laziness, are hard to break.  And, if I'd quit acquiring tools,  i.e. that scroll saw, it would help. 

Edited June 20, 20223 yr by Gene Howe

This is Tuesday's tasks...

Have to cut the 8 dovetail "tails" to fit these 2 sides....then plough a 1/4" x1/4" groove in to all 4 parts....Wednesday I can work on getting the panel to fit....should be a LOT of involved...

Need to trim a panel, today..

To fit into those grooves....

On 6/20/2022 at 7:35 AM, Gene Howe said:

It's been 18 months, or so, since we moved in and the shop is still a mess.

37 years here! And YOU'RE complaining?

22 minutes ago, HARO50 said:

37 years here! And YOU'RE complaining?

Right it is like 20 years (the longest in one place ever) in the same place and the shop in in a worse mess than ever. So question to self "Do you really need any more tools?" and somewhere in the back "one more tool to greatness and easy work"

7" x 12" x 20" beam cut-off. Yesterday removed a few giant nails and pried off this chunk along an ancient crack. Today (or possibly tomorrow) I'll reduce the smaller piece into usable lumber.

 

 

 

Yanked the rickety Craftsman 3.0 HP onto the porch yesterday. Set up with the 10" Oshlun 60T 1/10th" kerf blade. 

 

Thought about cutting a few hours earlier, over coffee.  The 3x3 in the corner was a definite. And wanted another post directly from the rift, along that diagonal.

 

 

A few full-height cuts later. TS is unstoppable as the burn bucket gets its contribution. 

 

 

Got the first post.  Going for a second right from the middle of this stretch of grain. This view is 90˚ from the pith. Looks like a big piece but it's all angles. A crafty quadrilateral. 

 

 

 

The 2x2 post is all I got from the diagonal face after cutting away damage from spikes, nails, time. The bigger also took a beating, its 3x3 reduced to more than expected. All in all, there was 50% wastage between damaged wood and going for the rift.

 

 

All experience. Once the home-built 14" CNC rig is operational, output will increase. Meanwhile I'll begin looking at the remainder. My plan is to score the top and split off manageable pieces.

Those close growth rings are mesmerizing. Spectacular.

Definitely looks old growth.

5 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

mesmerizing

On one of these pieces I'll likely put a fresh burr on my scrapers, dress the flats, and buff a slight bevel onto the corners. Stand it up on the mantle  like a deity. 

 

The large remainder, I wanted it off the porch lest it disappear. So after a bit of study I marked it, planed a flat a little, tried a notch with hand saw, then went to the c.2001 Craftsman 15 amp circular saw. Sawed only at the end grain. Wedges and a 20 oz. hammer did the rest.

 

The lengths are between 21" and 22" but trimmed, I call it 19" or 20".

 

This one was intended to be a 3x5 but ended up a little tapered on the 3" . . . 

 

 

The same piece, the first one split. There's a nice 3x3x21 post there, plus the remainder. Or possibly a clean 2x5 plus remainder.

 

 

This one decided to be bigger than planned; made an executive decision during splitting. Nearly 4x5 full. If I resaw carefully I'll get several nice planks out of it. Spectacular width.

 

 

This one may prove the most interesting. Split dead perpendicular to the pith. A definite 2x5, with luck. Two rift sawn 1x5 full planks maybe?

 

 

All is well. Three nice chunks. Very little waste so far.

 

Hmmm, can't see the bench for the...

 

Lid is glued up...

5 hours ago, PostalTom said:

Definitely looks old growth.

Good to see ya' again Tom. Hope all has been well and you've just been busy?

Hey, Tom! Long time no see.  Good to hear from ya.

Thanks Dave and Gene.  Yeah, everything's OK.  Just been busy with family stuff.  I keep trying to tell my kids my name is Tom, not ATM, but they don't seem to get the idea.  I was busy making a small holder for the dovetail saw I wound up with from last year's Christmas fund raiser, and now I am in the process of making a chess set for my oldest grandson.  So far, I have two pawns made.  Slow process.  I appreciate the welcome back though.

Glad to see you back Tom.

 

Thanks Al.  Wow.  I must have been inactive longer than I thought.  After I finished the snack tray cabinet, I kind of lost interest in my shop for awhile.  I'm getting back down there more now, so you all should be seeing a few more posts and pics.  

On 6/25/2022 at 7:24 PM, PostalTom said:

Thanks Al.  Wow.  I must have been inactive longer than I thought.  After I finished the snack tray cabinet, I kind of lost interest in my shop for awhile.  I'm getting back down there more now, so you all should be seeing a few more posts and pics.  

Was wondering where you were too Tom! Great to see ya back in the shop and back with us😁

6 hours ago, John Morris said:

Was wondering where you were too Tom! Great to see ya back in the shop and back with us😁

Ditto, Tom. We missed ya.

Thanks guys.  I appreciate the kind words.  This probably belongs in a different forum, but I'm posting it here for now.  I'm sure John or someone will move it if necessary.  I started Nutrisystem in April.  Since then, I have lost over 35 pounds, and am now under 300 pounds.  My initial goal is to get down to 255 lbs, and hopefully lose more than that.  I'm feeling a lot better, and my doctors are happy too.  Another benefit, I found out that I can now wear some clothes that I couldn't before.  Like having a new wardrobe.  OK, enough bragging.  

Brags are warranted, Tom. That's quite an achievement.