steven newman

Friday's Follies.... Yard sale find.. pair of 36" clamps..$4. Gray fabric the Boss picked out for the headboard. Can of stain/varnish is also her choice "Weathered Gray"...her choice,...not mine. Stapler...three tries to find staples that would actually FIT IN THE DARNN THING Nada...bought three boxes of these, instead.. Plywood panel got a rebate done.. Peeled one layer, about 1/2" wide. Foam panels were the wrong size....had to go back and get the 1" thick roll Grandson and I pulled and nailed the fabric in place, as tight as we could. Then we assembled a few pieces with some glue. A rail was added first, and screwed in place, then clamps were added to the top of the head board.. Got out a vintage drill... And a pencil sharpener.. Made for Carpenter's pencils...worked just fine to bevel the leading ends of the dowel....spot of glue, and a hammer to drive it home.. Will clean up tomorrow, and cut the dowel flush. Was a very LONG day..I am worn out.. Maybe tomorrow, I can get this thing done? Stay tuned

Not a whole lot...just resting up....depends on if a few things arrive for the bed frame build...

Ok, got bored sitting around, despite Uncle Charles hitting my toes as a wake-up. Had two boards IN the shop to finish up, and haul upstairs... Beads were now done...needed a plane to smooth the sides down.. When a shaving curls around your wrist...might have it about tuned up.. Beads done, next were a bunch of bevels to do... Decided to do the three easy sides, first... And save this for last...saw wanted so much to drop into that dado.... Will need a bit of clean up...the post, that is...the mess on the floor was just the beginning..... The bottom of the post was also beveled, just like the first posts..with a block plane. Finish sanding the post, and set it aside.. Laid the rail on the bench, marked out where three counter-bores will go.. 3/8" forstner bit, with a vintage drill. then drilled the pilot holes on through.. Then the block plane.. Cut a small bevel all the way around on the end...then sanded it smooth.. Had some things need romoved..flattened out..back to the #4 Stanley, again.. Removed those black ink stamps...and a spot where the strapping cut in a bit....had a couple knots wanting to stick up in the way.. yeah, those two...look ma, no tear-out. Hauled both boards upstairs...remember that messy floor? Trying to run a clean shop, nowadays.....even dusted the tils.. So now I can see which plane is which.. Laid out a drill bit and some hardware....will need it to attach the side rails to the posts.. Will use counter bored holes, on the mattress sides of the side rails...may have to sharpen that bit... Which left the plywood panel to be cut to length, and the side rails....was done on the Dinning Room Table...with the Boss' OK.. The rails need trimmed down from 8' to 79"....these are the cut-offs.. Plywood had a "Maple" smell when cut... This is what is left over...stacked all the pieces in one place... Circular saw is from Sears...all metal, stool supported the cutoffs....will be using that 2 x 2 along the bottom edge of a rail, to support the slats. Made a bit of a mess.. So, I may have to run the sweeper? As soon as I figure out HOW Need to take the plywood to the shop, and thin the edges. Need to notch the edges of the rails and drill a few holes...made the rails a tad bit longer than needed..to allow fat fingers room to make the bed.. For some reason, I am a bit tired right now... Stay tuned....

Just a quiet bump....so when some that pass by a local graveyard.....they will understand why all those flags are there...and why the flag flies at 1/2 mast.....

Brought one of the 2 x 4 rails up from the shop..was going to use it to help cut the 8' long panel to length......hmmm...something funny going on... You always hear about how plywood is thinner than the size listed? I sized the groove right at 1/2" wide, thinking it would be a loose/slip fit for both the fabric AND the plywood.... Would you believe it..that plywood panel WAS 1/2" thick! So, now I have to thin the edges of the plywood to allow it to fit....with the fabric wrapped around the edge... and hope things fit... Plan is to flop the panel onto the dining room table, mark it for length.....hook the Boss' sweeper to the saw. and make one cut.....will see IF I can get away with cutting the 2 x 10 side rails at the same time....and leave them on top of the plywood, to keep it flat.... Plywood came from Menard's...BTW.

Footboard came out of the clamps this afternoon.....hauled it upstairs, and did a test fit... Looks like it will fit. Just the foot board, haven't got the rest quite done... Mr. Gumption almost didn't want to show up.....decided to tear the headboard done, clean the parts up, and add the Beads & Bevels Tenons needed squared up....mainly end grain cuts....chisel was driven along with my chin providing the "power", instead of a hammer Just an Aldi's chisel. Edges along the length of the 2 x 4 rails were a bit ragged... Set up a round over bit, and cleaned the edges. Had to work on the Stanley 45 a bit..was having a bind issue....skates were wider at the back than the leading edge....adjust that, adjust the depth of cut....reset the depth stops, and ran some beads.. Boards were a bit too long for the bench.. Ya think? Finally got both the top and bottom rail done...and sanded....then set aside..thought I could get a post or two done... Running the two beads wasn't too hard...lots of candle wax helped...Was having an issue with this bevel....Not a whole lot of room...Got it close, sanded and planed to make it presentable...Was a bit hard to hold the circular saw when going over the notch....can you say wobble? make a BIG mess of the floor.. Almost like a bag of Ramen Noodles got spilled? Saved by the bell...Suppertime! Maybe later, I can work on the other post? We'll see...kind of tired, right now. Stay tuned

Measurements were from the mattress at the start of the project. It is a Queen size. Ledge would be a 2 x 4, ripped down the middle, and glued and screwed in place...slats would be 1 x 6s and maybe a screw to keep them in place. We'll see how it goes... I suppose I had better cut the 1/2" plywood panel to size, so the Boss can get it done. Hope she decides what flavour to make the Pine....Then maybe a coat of Poly Gloss? We getting there...slowly...

Fat fingers, keep skipping keys....maybe it is the keyboard's fault.. Haled the plank to the shop....Cussing Level was at "Reception Center arrivals" but, plank was soon trimmed to about 67-1/4" long...cutoff made a lot of racket when it hit the floor...just missing my toes... Had to notch both end, equally top and bottom....notches in the posts are a hair over 9"...plank was a FAT 9-3/8" wide.. Something didn't quite look right...had the right post..needed turned around...of course, this was AFTER I drilled and counter-bored those holes.. Notch for the side rail go to the INSIDE. Not a biggie, just need three more plugs, is all. Swing this heavy thing end for end, and do the other post....with the correct holes, of course. #12 screws were a tad fat at the head....grinder to reduce....wire whell on grinder decided to snag a cord....that was plugged in...breaker pops...GFI pops....beltsander will need it's cord fixed. Both ends assembled..set it aside to let the glue cure a day.. Double checked the notches..for the side rails.. Yep, notches match each other. Those saws? Larger one for cross cuts, smaller one for bevel cuts...larger one is from Sears, smaller one from Skil. Will unclamp and clean it up..tomorrow, maybe. Need to cut the side rails to length, and pre-drill them. Debating on adding a ledge to the bottom of the rails...for slats to sit on, and throw that old metal frame away. Or just screw the metal frame to the wood frame? Then add better slats. Until the padded panel is done, I can't do much to the headboard assembly....may knock it apart, and work on bevels and beads...we'll see Stay tuned..

I thought Mondays was over....I could be wrong...Fresh DNA on the Pine...Not the recommended way to test a bead cutter for sharpness... Plan for today: Finish the work on the foot board...and hopefully have it assembled by Supper time...that WAS the plan... I mentioned beads...set up the Stanley 45 to cut a bead down each face ( was only to be the outside ones, that got changed)had issues with the micro adjuster on the fence working loose....had the depth of cut too deep as well...finally got those done.... Next was a few bevels.. Set the Skil saw @22.5 degrees..first cut wasn't too bad..but why the second cut wasn't? Because the lock for the bevel had loosened...reset, recut. Square was set to guide the cut...when there was enough room for it....otherwise I had to follow a line.. Needs a little clean up...bottom of the posts were also beveled...old school style.. Cleaned this up.. Sanded both posts to 180 grit... Cleared the bench off... So when I haul that 2 x 10 x 8' plank to the shop ( whew!) I will have a spot to set it....so I can trim it down a bit....96" down to 67-1/4"....I also cleaned the floor few times... This would be the third time this morning. Finally remembered to turn the shop fan on.....so, while I am doing Lunch, I am also dying out.. Will see how the rest of the day goes....Hopefully have the foot board done, and ready for stain...stay tuned....

Monday? Usually reserve for shopping for supplies for the shop....wake me up when Tuesday blow in with the wind... Worked a while on a bed frame over the weekend....cussing was at "Marine D.I." Day one level.....and just as loud... Shop is USUALLY closed on Mondays....will see how THAT goes..

Have to remember, that Craftsman plane just might have been made by Stanley, Sargent, or Millers Falls....

Hmmm....good shavings.. And the "guilty party" Millers Falls No. 14 Jack plane... Or...Fred can send that plane of his down here...I'll send it back about a day later....

Ok, mow the yard...Blog.....or...do a little work in the shop.....Grandson mowed the yard.....got a little more done in the shop....now workings on a few "blog" things... Had three more sets of tenons to do... One 2 x 4 done, laid it onto the other one, and marked it out...including which face the groove will go... Crowded shop? Ya think? Same as the first tenons...bandsaw a few lines, chisel the waste out... Not too worried about "blowing out" the other side...a groove will be there.. As for making that groove LONG groove....runs all the way through. Either I was cutting too deep, or going against the grain....this one was too deep of a cut...the other one was against the grain...even had the fan blowing on me... And this was from ONE groove....whew...unclamped the posts, time for a dry fit.... End view, once I got it to stand up....had to lay one post down, then add the other parts...then stand it up... At least the grooves to house the panel all line up. This is actually looking at the back of the headboard... Got to looking...this IS the front view.. Need to get this glued up, IF I get find enough clamps long enough. and the boss get the plywood covered. Need to start on the rails, next.. Stay tuned...

Remind me when I get there.....

Ok, Yard Sales this morning....found another large tub of tools..$5....more on that later... After lunch, went to the shop.....came back out of there almost 5 hours or so later....was a hand tool joinery day...until the back stiffened up... Worked on the larger headboard posts. Kept them clamped up so I can tell where all the cuts and chops will happen.. Wanted the Dado to match at the top and bottom of both posts....1/2" deep, by 1-1/2" wide....to house the end of a 2 x 4 rail. Backsaw to cut the walls.. Used this to pop the waste out....tried to "pare" the dado smooth.. It worked, but I needed the dado to be flatter, so,,,about the only plane I have... Plane is 1.25" wide...tight fit. Then layout for a few mortises.. And used the usual suspects.. Got these four done.. But moving both posts around at the same time was getting a bit too much...set one aside, and worked on just one post.. This one wasn't too bad...I transferred the lay outs to this end, and made sure they matched with the ones already done. It was the last set of mortises that was...special.. A tad "knotty"? I wasn't quite done with this post, yet.. I set up this old plane, using a #16 cutter, to plough a ~1/2" groove right down the center, to house a plywood panel for the "Padded Headboard" . Wasn't allowed to let the groove run all the way through... Had to make a "stopped groove" to where the cutter stopped cutting at each end. Skates on the plane held things up on the ends....we have ways.. Just like on the dados, a backsaw to cut the walls to depth, the a chisel to pare the groove flat on each end. Set this post aside, and worked on the other post.. Post were done I think. 2x4 arrived on the bench....6' long needed trimmed down a bit.. Needed this cut square...we have ways.. Yet another use for the Shop Trashcan! Got both 2 x 4s cut down the 63" long..trying to get rid of the worst of each board ( BIG knot, split) Used the layout marks from the posts, to layout a couple tenons....would be a bit awkward to saw them with the boar standing up in the vise....bandsaw was used... Backsaw was also used on some cuts, like this one. Needed a chisel to remove the waste in the center.. Until it looked like this....during the first dry fit, I found out one line was a tad off...wasn't allowing the tenons to go all the way in...fixed that up, and tried again.. A little better. I clamped the two posts together to better keep track of them. So, I have one end of one 2 x 4 done...three more ends to go....then run the 45 around, again. This time, I can run the groove all the way through, end to end... Back start to stiffen up...was almost 5 hours in the shop...and, after a morning walking through a few yard sales. Might just call it a day....maybe tomorrow, I can get something done? Stay tuned.. Oh, BTW..a $5 plastic tub was bought at a sale, this morning.. Loaded down with "goodies", even after I threw out the "junk" stuff..... Just a tease of the top layer....there were several more such layers.. But wait, there is more.. And more.. Wrenches and screwdrivers are now in the roll-around tool box I used at work...there was even an 1-3/8" "golden" Forstner bit buried in there. Almost like someone had simply dumped their tool box into the tub. They said make offer, then simply said "$5? " Maybe I get get something more done, tomorrow,,,stay tuned..