Good Monday Morning!

Good Monday morning Patriot Woodworkers! What did you get done over the weekend, and what have you planned for the week ahead! Inquiring minds want to know. Please tell us what's happening in your shops, your life, and any events going on with you. Thank you for being here folks!

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Featured Topic

@Fred W. Hargis Jr showing off some skills, this is going to be on beautiful piece of work!

Featured Video

Charles Kuralt, one my favorites in media of all time, I miss him after hearing his voice in this classic interview from 1983. This is an interesting video showing off some wonderful woodworking, and a flash to the past in the old boat builders words, (these scruffy hippies can actually do good work). It's a fun short video, enjoy.

Cool video John. Thanks. I too miss the old days of TV journalism with reporters like Kuralt, Rooney, Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley.

Not much accomplished over the weekend; a few errands after church. Monday (yesterday) a day of hibernation with wind, cold, and snow and yet again today. Coldest St. Patrick's Day here since 1940.

Today we were out early for my 18 month follow-up Ultrasound visit with my Vascular Surgeon. He was well pleased with the results. No increase in blockage of the Basilor arteries and in fact some slight improvement with blood flow as well as a slight improvement with the Carotid arteries so unless stroke symptoms occur, I don't have to report back for two years. We reviewed the common stroke symptoms but since I was under or just coming out of anesthesia when the strokes apparently occurred, I don't have any experience to recall. Anyways a good day so the Mrs. and I celebrated with an afternoon lunch at the Gardens of Olive.

Remainder of the week, a couple of errands. Cold with snow on the menu again tomorrow so indoor or outdoor shop time is off the list. March Madness begins tonight so I'll catch a few games this week. I don't have a dog in the hunt since IU laid another egg but find myself often rooting for the underdogs.

Got my March Madness Brackets filled in for this week😜

Mitersaw station journey continues. Painted the bottom of the cabinets just like the base (rest will just get polycrylic).

Am looking into what I want to use for the top, as I want to cut in for t-track. Went to go look at plywood and the selections were not great (wish they were "more flat"!). Also thought of using MDF and add laminate on top but the MDF didn't look great and I hate working with the stuff. There was some melamine but the top surface seemed fragile and I wonder if it would hold up for a work surface (maybe was just the edge?). Looking around the BORG I saw some butcherblock counter that I could work with to get the custom size, but not sure about issues with wood movement (the info gave a "warning" to allow space if against a wall).

Really would like to get some high quality plywood that isn't full of voids and is flat...but that seems hard to find.

For now, cabinets are flipped and ready for finish, hopefully tomorrow can get that done, and the base leveled. Suppose to be nice weather so my shop supervisor will likely take me for a walk tomorrow as well. 😉

38 minutes ago, BB1 said:

Really would like to get some high quality plywood that isn't full of voids and is flat...but that seems hard to find

Does your Menards carry MDO? It might be the alternative you're looking for. Not inexpensive, but guessing one sheet would take care of your plan. MDO is very stable in wet environments when sealed or painted and is often used for outdoor signs. Its also available in 1/2" thickness. Caution, it's heavy too.

MDO Here

Edited March 18Mar 18 by Grandpadave52

2 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Does your Menards carry MDO? It might be the alternative you're looking for.

Looks like my closest Menards carries MDO. Not sure if we saw that or not as per the website looks like 5 in stock (don't recall a short stack). And yes, I can get the top done with one sheet. And they have the 11% rebate right now.

Still thinking about the butcherblock too. Would be really easy to route in for t-track but not sure if a wood top would be ideal.

Melamine is fairly thin, but actally holds up well in hobbyist use. Stuff sliding on it doesn't do much damage, but a dropped piece with a sharp corner can put a nick in it. Routing it is almost as bad as MDF, tho.

6 hours ago, BB1 said:

Still thinking about the butcherblock too. Would be really easy to route in for t-track but not sure if a wood top would be ideal.

I did mine with two 49 x 25 sections of butcher block from the BORG, less than $100 each, IIRC. I routed for the t track as you mentioned, then ripped them so I could make each half fold down. Several coats of General Finishes water based poly.

The base for the miter saw is between the two halves and is on adjustable legs. The thought is to allow the use of the base for my planer, etc.

15 minutes ago, JimM said:

I did mine with two 49 x 25 sections of butcher block from the BORG,

Thanks for sharing this (if you have any pictures, I would be interested). I like the idea of butcherblock for the stability as well. I think it would hold up to the bangs and bumps inevitable in the shop a bit better than plywood.

46 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Melamine is fairly thin, but actally holds up well in hobbyist use. Stuff sliding on it doesn't do much damage, but a dropped piece with a sharp corner can put a nick in it. Routing it is almost as bad as MDF, tho

I have found the melamine I used on my rolling air filter cart is pretty easy to ding. And getting t-track installed sounds like it might be a challenge with chipping (and my skill level!). Thinking melamine is moving down the list of options.

6 hours ago, BB1 said:

Thanks for sharing this (if you have any pictures, I would be interested). I like the idea of butcherblock for the stability as well. I think it would hold up to the bangs and bumps inevitable in the shop a bit better than plywood.

I had to rip the bb tops about 6” from the back so they would clear the bulkhead when folded down.

Still have to make the adjustable fence for the miter saw.

Also I used the adjustable feet at both the top and bottom of each leg because the garage floor slopes towards the door.

My shop is tiny-9x18, called a golf cart garage by the builder. So I’m trying to keep as much flexibility as possible.

Planning to build modular rolling stands for bandsaw, drill press and planer that can be moved into the spot where the miter saw is. Plans are modified daily at 3 am.

Hope these help.

@JimM Thanks for the pictures. Is the surface the miter saw is located adjustable (looks like t-track and knobs along the verticals)? The butcherblock surface looks really nice and being wood, avoids having to edge band or otherwise reinforce typically more fragile edges of plywood or melamine. Did you get it from a BORG or local place? I'm starting to price compare (in my area have Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, and Grizzly).

Looking at butcherblock counters - the three main types I'm seeing are hevea (rubberwood), acacia (hardest and most expensive), and birch (also hardwood but less expensive). I'm leaning toward birch as a bit "middle of the road" on price and durability. Open to any thoughts on pros and cons.

3 hours ago, BB1 said:

@JimM Thanks for the pictures. Is the surface the miter saw is located adjustable (looks like t-track and knobs along the verticals)? The butcherblock surface looks really nice and being wood, avoids having to edge band or otherwise reinforce typically more fragile edges of plywood or melamine. Did you get it from a BORG or local place? I'm starting to price compare (in my area have Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, and Grizzly).

Yes, the miter saw sits on an adjustable surface. I set it so when the verticals are all the way up, the adjacent surfaces align with the miter saw table. I had some scrap SYP left and glued up that surface. As I said, I hope to use it with other machines. (I hate the snipe from the planer!)

I'm also thinking about a dust collection box mounted on this surface feeding into my DC as discussed in another thread.

Pretty sure the two butcher block tops are hevea - the price seems about right. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-4-ft-L-x-25-in-D-Unfinished-Hevea-Solid-Wood-Butcher-Block-Countertop-with-Standard-Edge-THD-HBU-0001/319764603

1 hour ago, JimM said:

Pretty sure the two butcher block tops are hevea

Thanks for that info. Did you find the herea to be pretty flat/solid?

48 minutes ago, BB1 said:

Thanks for that info. Did you find the herea to be pretty flat/solid?

No problems. Actually, it sat in my shop for weeks before I got to it. And it was all solid at the rip cut line.

Thanks for the added info @JimM. I need to do some price checking on what's available locally.

Today got a coat of finish on the cabinet boxes and worked on leveling the base.

Oh, and nice walk with my pup this morning.

Menards had the best price and was able to get a good discount on one that has a couple gouges on the underside (nice to save some as this was a bit of a splurge). At 6 foot they fit in the Jeep just fine. Headed home (not the driver 😉) with the two panels.

Second guessing the butcherblock top. The depth I need is 27" and these are 25. Was planning to add some additional walnut to front/back, but not sure if that might cause issues with flatness (mixing the birch and walnut and all I don't know about wood movement). May return to looking at plywood options. 😕🤔

Barb, across the depth of the top (I'm guessing it's 2-2.5" or less) wood movement differences between species isn't going to amount to anything. A bigger problem may be getting the finish of the top's edges to glue on additional pieces. You'' have to get to bare wood (guessing again, that the top is finished in some fashion. If not you golden).