Just wanted to drop an update to let everyone know I am still plugging away at my table for the Sawdust Build Challenge, I did change what I was planning building, after building the mock up I got inspired to build a higher quality piece. Not that my Z table isn't, it's just I designed it to hold my portable table saw and I build it out of 2 x 4s and plywood, nothing I would really want to enter in a contest, I know then why enter right, well it was all about the design challenge for me. I live in a small apt and didn't really need any more furniture that I could think of at the time, so I went with the fold up saw table. Then when I learned that the winner can have his piece shown at the New England Home Show, well I thought it might be a good idea to build a nicer piece.
So a couple of weeks ago I designed what I am calling my X table, it was inspired by my Z table, but a lot nicer. I cut most the piece last week and then had to put them away while I finished up some work on some wooden crafts my wife and I where doing for a craft show this pass weekend. We did OK, I got a couple of commissions for things and a sold a custom flute.
Today I did get the legs all glued up, and tomorrow I hope to finish the half laps and get most the base out of my way, the top is mostly done I still have some fusing to do with it, but what has my butt in a kink is doing the finish. I work outside in the yard and it has been so windy I might have to use oil instead of the water base poly that I was planning, or find someone who will let me use their shop to spray it in.
Surfaces: That is the the challenge for the build, That Rick Walters at The Sawdust Chronicle's has presented us this year, which fits prefect with something that I have been working on in my head for the last couple of weeks, It started with a friends son going off to college, and him complaining about not having a table to use his laptop on when he is sitting in his chair watching the TV. His dorm is small and the desk is cramped and he can't see his TV from the desk, so to solve the problem they got him a fold up tray that was designed to eat dinners off of, you know the type, every one has them in the closet, the old TV trays! not an idea solution.
Well that got me to thinking, there has to be a better design for a fold up table that has a little more style that could be used as a all propose desk or table and still fold up and placed out of the way when not needed.
Then last week I was ripping some boards with my table saw up on my portable work table which is to high for the task, and I got to thinking that the same type of folding table could be used as a tool stand as well as a portable computer desk.
That night I started doodling while watching TV and after about five sheets of drawings I came up with something I liked, then I drew it in SketchUp just to play with an idea I had, next step I want to get some card board and make a mock up before building the table.
When I do build the first table I think I will use plywood and 2x, because it will become my saw stand, after I know it will hold up I can tweak the design for style. I think this would be a great work surface for college student or any one with limited space, the surface can be used as a computer desk, art desk, dinning table, outdoor tables for the scouts, or a number of other possibilities that haven't even thought about.
This week's design of the week is a hutch that I designed for a desk, a computer desk to be exact. There are places for files and a cradle to hold cell phones and I-pods while they charge.
Back in the Late 80s I worked in a shop that made displays for conventions. It was a cool job for a woodworker especially one who was into art the way I was. It was like doing sets in a theater and like the theater building convention displays is mostly smoke and mirrors. We did get to do a lot of out of the box type of woodworking and with that came a lot of unique problem that we just couldn't run down to the hardware store and get a tool to solve, so we had to come up with some of our own solutions and time saving devices, one was a three stationed router that we keep set up just for making cabinet doors and another was a two station router for doing sliding dovetails, both the units in the shop we build were floor models.
The one in my design is a bench model that breaks down to three pieces, the two router table and larger table in the back that connect them plus the fences, however; it could be build as a one piece floor unit. The unit is meant to be set up with stick and cope bits for doors, or a 1/4 straight and a dovetail bits for a sliding dovetails, but can be set up with any combination of two piece router bit set so you don't have to keep switching out bits. Each table has enough clearance to run stock pass the next without interference, and at the angle that they are set to each other they don't take up much shop space from the wall and can still run 30" door stiles any longer and you might have to pull it away from the wall to get clearance. Now if you have the room in your shop and you don't need to sit it against a wall, you can sit it out in the middle, where all three sides are accessible, then add the third router on the back so it looks like a triangle, and you will have a nice production setup with a lot of versatility.
Well I hope that this gives you guys some new ideas to think about. I have been thinking about a horizontal router for the side of my table saw, maybe I will draw something like that next, I really like the idea of the router moving X,Y, Z like the one in Fine Woodworking
Joey
This is a computer stand I designed to hold my laptop. I use an extra LCD monitor and a key board so the screen on my laptop is my second screen. the only problem I have is that it sits to low for me. So what I am trying to accomplish is, giving my laptop a safe place to sit, raise the screen to a comfortable height, and improve air circulation to help keep the computer cooler. Like the tortilla press this is a project that I plan on building, so stay tune.
This is a carvers bench that I have been kicking around since I seen one in a old scroll saw magazine, and then again in a in the last issue of Carvers Illustrated magazine. What makes this bench different is that the top on it is hinged at the front so it will tilt up like a painter's easel and there is a vice on the side that it can be used with the dog holes for holding flat panels while you carve. This bench can also be used for joinery work like cutting dovetails and tenons. The over all dimensions on the bench is 24" x 24" x 32" high. the top is beach and the base will be out of fir. I really think it is a great little bench to supplement my bigger bench and improve my carving.
This is my third design and I wish it was the third week of doing this, but it isn't and I'm a little behind. Oh well, maybe I should do this once a month instead of once a week except then, I would only get them out every two months, so I'll keep shooting for once a week. lol
This design is a knock down book shelf that held together with sliding dovetails that lock the tenons in place once they are through the shelf. there is nothing special about this except the way it is held together. If the dovetail was tapered it would even make assemble easier.
I have been thinking about what I want to do with this Blog that makes it both interesting for you, and useful to me. One think that I want to do is bring other peoples blogs to your attention with a "Check Out this Blog" section. I hope to do this once or twice a month.
Another regular posting that I plan on starting is "My Design Of The Week" post, where I will post a design from my sketchbook. I also hope to do a copy of this design in Sketchup, that part is for me, so I can get some much need experience in that program. I wish I could say that is my own idea, but it isn't I am borrowing the idea from Jamon Schlimgen and his The Drawing Boards Blog. While he puts out a design a day I am afraid I'm not that ambitious so I will only do One a week. Enjoy.
Tool Cabinet Design
This is just an Ideal for a cabinet to hold my hand tools and to represent my ability.
