Time Marches On

Prior to mounting the TV to the fireplace, there was a large clock, that was a gift from my dear, departed brother, Jeff LaFong, 30 years ago. Now, with it being taken down, we always have to check our phones or computer to see what time it is. I saw something that another woodworker had done and I thought that I could improve upon his idea. Down to the shop I goes. It only took about three or four hours to whip up this little clock that we can put on the end table. The bezel and buckle are maple, the straps are walnut and the base is red oak, all from the scrap bin. A few coats of semi gloss and pop in a little quartz clock works and it's done. Wifey thinks it's cute. I have to agree, though Boy Geniuses™ and manly men, such as I, don't generally do "Cute". Still, It came out pretty cool.

One Thing Always Leads To Another

The mantle and TV mount are, essentially, done. I still have to clean up the wiring a bit and make the top, which will be a simple flat board, maybe with an edge detail to dress it up. Now, I have to consider where to put the components and our DVD collection. I am leaning towards a cabinet, to the left of the fireplace that mirrors the book shelf on the right. The lower 24 inches, or so, will have the DVD storage and a cubby above that for the components. The rest will be a curio cabinet with glass on three sides and a mirror on the fireplace side. It should balance out the whole area and allow us to drag out a lot of the knick knacks that are stuck away in the attic and closets and display them. Until then, I have a bedroom that I have to patch and paint so Wifey can take it over as her chick cave

At Second Glance............

After I assembled the mantle, I began to take a critical look at it. There were some gaps where the vertical and horizontal members joined. The more I looked, the more it bugged me. Since all of it was assembled with pocket screws, except the crown molding, which I fastened with micropins, I decided to take it apart. It only took an hour to disassemble it, re cut the horizontal portion and put it all back together again. Everything flushes up much better now. I think it all began with me watching Japanese woodworking videos. Those guys are so meticulous and patient. It makes my stuff  look like it was made with a chain saw and a sledge hammer. I stained it and brought it up to the house for a trial fit. It's crooked because the left side is resting on the old TV stand/DVD storage cabinet. That will go away once the mantle is ready to install. I'm pretty pleased with the way it looks. There was a fireplace door that I built when we moved in. It never fit quite like I had wanted, but I never got around to fixing it. Now I will have to make a new pair. This time it will be a better fit

Mantle, The Continuing Saga

I, pretty much, finished the mantle today. It turned out to be a pretty simple deal. Though it appears ornate and complicated it is just oak veneer plywood, some store bought crown molding and some trim that I cut on the router table. The fact that I have accumulated a number of tools over the years made it much simpler. The pocket hole jig, a tool that every wood worker needs, a brad gun, a micro pin gun and a good selection of clamps made it a breeze. I still have to make the top, but all that will be is a flat slab of oak. I still have final detailing, sanding, staining and clear finish before I can install it. The off color parts are from a tabletop that I made a few years ago, but was not happy with. There was just enough to make the 12 pieces that I needed for the column bases and tops. I also have to engineer a TV mount, but I think that should be fairly easy

A Place To Hang Yer Hat

I built this drawer for the little wall desk. I had planned it all along, but I got in a hurry when I built the desk. It looked so good, hanging on the wall, that I just left it there, promising to add the drawer later. Later finally arrived. I turned 6 little pegs on my lathe and added them to the side for keys and my, ever present, ball cap. Not a big, monumental project but it looks good and gives us a bit more drawer space in the kitchen

Putting On The Brakes

I have had this router lift for 12 or 13 years. It is a nice piece and I use it often. One problem that I've had, over the years, was the bit raising up, on it's own. This is very annoying and wasteful. I've ruined a boat load of nice hardwood. I always blamed myself. I thought that I didn't tighten the collet enough or maybe there was some debris that kept me from getting a good grip on the shank of the bit. As I was cutting the lock miter joints for the mantle project, it happened again. I did notice that the little dial, that indicates the amount that the bit is being raised or lowered was moving as the machine ran. I assumed it was loose and needed a tightening. I discovered it was tight and that the vibration from the machine was causing the lift mechanism to turn. There are small, ball detents that are supposed to lock the lift in position, but they are inadequate for the job when running large, heavy bits. So, I took it apart and saw what could be done. I cut a clamp, to act as a brake, from a scrap of maple. I then drilled and tapped the lift base and bolted the brake to the base with some long bolts and some spacers that I cut from some aluminum tube from the scrap bucket. I grabbed an old  3/8 socket from the box of junky Chinese tools. The clamping bolt is 1/4 so it has a 7/16 head. I ground it to 3/8, put it in the socket backwards so the bolt extends though the square drive end is, and screwed it into the brake. There is a "T" nut on the other side. The crank to set the bit height is a 3/8 hex, so I can use it to set the brake. After a few minor adjustments, I gave it a test run. I put the big lock joint bit in, set the height, and tightened the brake. It seemed to work well, I couldn't turn the adjuster with the crank unless I backed off of the brake. I ran some wood through it and there was no creeping of the bit. I think I'll call this one a success. Another annoying problem solved.

Hearth And Home

Today, I began a long planned and promised project. A mantle for our fireplace. We finally got a flat screen TV and we want to mount it on the fireplace, but cannot. The reason being, there is no way to hide the electrical and cable hookups. A mantle will solve the problem. The wires will be brought over from the wall, hidden behind a piece of trim and enter the hollow mantle. I can then install a plug inside and pass the TV power cord through a plastic grommet and into the plug, hidden inside. Additionally, I will run power over to the other side for the components. More pix and further explanations will follow. Today, I managed to cut and glue up the two vertical columns. Most of the construction will be oak faced plywood.I will cut as much of the trim as I can from scraps lying around the shop. I will likely buy some precut crown molding for some of the areas that I have envisioned. As with most of my projects, there are no plans. Just build as you go. I have an idea of what I want it to look like, but it may evolve slightly