Workers Of Wood

... a new, organized shop! (I hope!)

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and a spectacular New Year! December was such a busy month around here! After my craft show, I ended up having people from work asking for presents to be made. The last request was for wine bottle balancers, which was picked up the 23rd. I won't go into all the feasts at work we had! The 12th-21st seemed like a Christmas Party every day. My (now) tight clothes show the repercussions of those. Christmas was spent at our daughters, coming home the 26th. My gifts included another cordless router (DeWalt) and the battery pack to go with it. (It was a HD special - buy the multi-pack of 5 amp batteries w/ charger and get a free tool). Two small tape measures, Dremel bits, and wall clips to hang tools, but gave those to Ken, since I'm creating the french cleats for my tools outside the cabinet.

Instead of playing during my winter break, I decided to take some much needed control of my shop, which has gotten out of control at this point in lawlessness and disorganization.

Starting with the space under my "sanding table" I decided to take that lovely mess and make it the home for my templates. Before I emptied the shelf, it held a crate of shop vac tools, a small crate of sandpaper, a cardboard box of tab sorted patterns, a bunch of various wood pieces, unfinished wood projects, etc and was a complete mess. This project took up most of my time off last week, especially since I broke my 10 year record of being cold-free. This little beast started Wed. and took hold till Friday. I also didn't get out to the shop as early as I should have, and as usual, there were places to go, so...

I was given a bunch of laminated mdf wood some time ago and I decided these would make a good cubby rack. I'll interject here (before I even really start), I'm not a fan of mdf, mainly because of what it's made of. Before I even started cutting it, I found my 3M rubber mask with the pink filters and wore it until this project was complete. Ken also wore his mask when he was in the shop while I was cutting it, and my air cleaner was on high. Ken cleaned it out afterwards to boot.

Ken had originally been in on the build, but ended up leaving this design up to me. He wasn't seeing my idea, and kept throwing out "it isn't gonna work" comments, and lost his welcome status rather quickly. Once the dividers were in place with the first two walls standing, and it started taking shape, Ken was finally seeing what I envisioned. He came out to the shop and said "you work better by yourself." I was like "yup" (sometimes. Until I get the idea worked out.)

Since money doesn't grow on trees, I decided to repurpose the plastic drawers (that were holding things from a craft cart that fell apart - that should have had a home long before now). The rest of the storage, I had to find trays. (That was fun - NOT).

I did all the tedious measurements, and brought out the router. Not having a router table, all the slots were done freehand. Of course, this took a little extra time and may have a slight weave to the slots, but I used a smaller-than-needed bit, so I was able to get my cuts a little straighter without sacrificing the size. Ken helped a bit while I was cutting these slots by sucking up the sawdust using the shop vac. The other bad thing about mdf is the excessive sawdust. With him following behind the router with the vacuum, it helped make the process go a little faster and slightly cleaner.

Once all the slots were done, Ken was again in on the build. He came out and helped me get the dividers glued in and helped me square it up. (NOT our strong suite!) We actually succeeded this time. I was so proud of us! (It was then "straight to the showers" for me! I wanted to get rid of all the mdf dust that was all over me, my clothes, and in my hair.)

The next day, we began attaching the top. We began with using the nailer and nailing everything up. The great squaring job we did the night before would have been great, if the cuts made for the top had been straight... *UGH* Ken's cuts weren't so far off that it's super noticeable, so I'll leave it alone. Without a table saw with a reliable fence, that's the price I pay; but I'm still terrified of table saws, so...

After visits to numerous stores, we finally found the small trays. (Found these Thurs. when my cold was at it's worst.) Ken had originally gone to Dollar Tree but none of the trays he had found would work. Hadn't thought of checking other departments besides the storage area. We ended up finding the perfect trays (get this:) in the school supply area of all places. They're adjustable, so I'm going to glue them to the length I need to prevent them from self-adjusting.

This build was completed Friday night. Saturday I began the process of getting my French cleat system together. Again, no table saw, so my band saw was called up to duty to perform the 45 degree cut on the five foot board. Did my best... not perfect, but it's working. The first one I did was for my clock that was my uncles in his basement workshop so many years ago. I see I made a major boo boo in the construction of it, but believe it or not, it's secure. I plan on a rebuild once I get the shop done. My plan is to get everything off my working tables and onto the wall to allow more working space for my projects.

*Phew* damn I'm long-winded! LOL The frustration of the cleats I won't go into. I have one done for one of my (five) routers done (doing two, storing three), and one for the sander. I have plans on cleats for everything that is currently on my tables, making an additional cleat for my tablet to hang in front of me for reading instructions, watching videos, etc at my tables. I also plan on making one for my eyeglass stand.

Here's what's done so far. Thank you for patiently reading through my long-winded story for such a small amount of work completed

Nice Barb. Organization is good for the soul. My problem is keeping it put away.

After retiring from the Army, I got a job working for an old fellow doing remodels. He had a habit of stopping all work if the work area got messy. We then put all the tools away even if you were not done with a project. We then cleaned the whole area and put all the scraps away.
Once he was satisfied that we had done a good job, we went back to work.
His thoughts were for safety in the work area.
I still many years later do that same thing. If the project is multi days work then I clean up at the end of each day and start over the next morning. Once i use a tool I put it away then continue the job.
For me this allows me to always be able to find whatever tool I am needing when i need it. They go back in the same place.
I try to use this same methodology in the house. I arrange all the plates and bowls, put everything in its place and clean up the kitchen.
Just to keep me on my toes, Sandra will move the peanut butter from its place in the cabinet into the fridge
Makes me nuts.
She thinks its funny.
and no ! I am not anal. I just like neat and orderly.
The other day my daughter needed a pen to sign something. I handed her my pen which was lined up neatly to the right side of my desk.
After she used it, she laid it on the dining room table. I told myself, "No, I am not going to go and get it"
I stared at it for a while then went and replaced it to its spot.
To me this is just being ready when you need a pen.
I am sure she did it on purpose.

Bushwhacker

My shop is rarely in anything other that some level of crisis. I do know where everything is at least. Wife and son decided to go reorganize things once without consulting me. When I couldn't find a special clamp (long vise grip one) that I only had one of it caused a job I was doing to fail. After the discussion I had with them they know never to do that again. They have since found out that I can point them in the exact direction they need to look if they need something I have as long as they leave everything alone. The shop may look like a bomb went off in it but I still know where all the fragments landed.

Bushwhacker wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 9:06 am Just to keep me on my toes, Sandra will move the peanut butter from its place in the cabinet into the fridge
Makes me nuts.
She thinks its funny.
and no ! I am not anal. I just like neat and orderly.
The other day my daughter needed a pen to sign something. I handed her my pen which was lined up neatly to the right side of my desk.
After she used it, she laid it on the dining room table. I told myself, "No, I am not going to go and get it"
I stared at it for a while then went and replaced it to its spot.
To me this is just being ready when you need a pen.
I am sure she did it on purpose.

Bushwhacker

No, you're not anal, you're OCD lol sorry, I would laugh at the PB out of place, as well. As for your daughter, maybe, maybe not.
Ken's favorite way to mess with me is when I'm looking for something and I find it. I'll say "where is...." and when I make the mistake of saying (out loud) "there it is," he ALWAYS says "it's right there!" I've thrown things at him when he does that... but we "pick" at each other all the time. It's a family thing. His family always picked at the quirks that bug different family members, teasing. You'd hate me, because I'd do it just to get under your skin. (A habit I picked up from being in Ken's family; but we have fun!)

Cherryville Chuck wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 11:23 am My shop is rarely in anything other that some level of crisis. I do know where everything is at least. Wife and son decided to go reorganize things once without consulting me. When I couldn't find a special clamp (long vise grip one) that I only had one of it caused a job I was doing to fail. After the discussion I had with them they know never to do that again. They have since found out that I can point them in the exact direction they need to look if they need something I have as long as they leave everything alone. The shop may look like a bomb went off in it but I still know where all the fragments landed.

When I say my shop is out of control with lawlessness and lack of organization, I mean, it is out of c o n t r o l. lol There wasn't a table space to work at. I have that large sanding station that was piled high with all sorts of projects and mess. Both work stations were completely covered in debris, paper, tools, etc. There wasn't a spot to work in, unless I moved things out of the way. I had/have templates everywhere. In my defense however, I had just made these templates and in the rush to get things done I hadn't dedicated a "home" for them. My work stations are the ones most in need of getting done. Every time I go out there, I have to move things to work on anything, and my (what I'll call) knick knacks (pencils, speaker, phone, etc) are all on my tabletops, which cuts down on the area I have to spread out and get things done.

Will these things get put back in their place when used, so I don't have to clean up to work in the future? Probably not. I'm not the neatest person. Every aspect of my life is the same as my cooking, (and I'll quote Ken here:) "Barb is a messy cook - she cooks great! But she's messy." My shop has never really had places for things to go; makeshift maybe - but no real organization. I blame Ken - he watches all these YouTube videos of these shops and it puts mine to shame in that things have a place - there's cupboards, shelves, carts, racks (for clamps, power tools, etc.) and mine have just been "put there."

We'll see what comes of my adventure. I won't be able to get back out there now until the weekend of the 15th. I have to get things (Ken's company) organized for taxes, and I'm months behind in certain chores.

I don't believe I am OCD, my wife does and now it seems that barb thinks so too.
Could be, but since I am nearly 80 years old, "I DON'T CARE.
As Chuck says, my shop is my shop, it has its share of saw dust and clutter, but I know where everything is, and its there because I put it back when I get done with it.
I don't have JOBS to do, whatever I work on is because I want to. or more honestly, it's because Sandra wants one.
I only work on one project at a time, unless it is something that is a (Sandra) crisis. Then that becomes number one.
Sometimes I get request from a member of the family. Like my 8-year-old nephew ask if he could use my nail gun and table saw to "build something"? then WE build something.
One of my Granddaughters husbands "not to imply that she has more than one" We just have 19 grands and 3 great grands.
It's difficult to keep track of all of them.
But he was over a while back and ask if I could assist him to make a meat cutting board.
Seems that I made a cutting board for them a while back and his wife will not allow him to cut meat on it. So, he would like to have a special board for cutting meat.
I am not sure how I was supposed to help him make one since I only see him maybe once a year and they do not live near us.
Anyway.
What he wanted was a board made from a cut off of a log, with a shallow place in the center to allow juices to not run off the board.
Seems this is a type of Mexican cutting board.
A few months back a limb fell on my garage from a neighbor's tree, and I hired a fellow who could climb said tree to remove the limb.
As we leaned on the back of his pickup truck "as guys tend to do", I noticed a couple of slices of tree truck in the bed of the truck. I ask what they were for, and he said trash, so I gave them a home.
After some sage advice from the forum, I sealed the cut offs and set them to dry.
After three months they seemed to be ready to work. NO cracks.
I selected one and planed it down to flatten it and chiseled the nubs off the bark then sanded the sides smooth but left the bark as it is very tight to the wood.
I hand routed a round edged slot on the inside of the face of the log, then used a bottom cleaning bit to clean out the center.
After lots of sanding, Sandra did the oiling of the board, and it is packaged up to be sent to him.
Here are some shots of the finished board.

The board is about 18 by 11 and 2.5 inches thick. I added feet and my brand to the back side. The core that you see in the middle is very hard and solid. It only had some very fine cracks from the drying out. Thanks to you guys. The grain did not pop until the oil was added. Thats always Sandra's favorite part so I wait for her to do it.

Bushwhacker

Bushwhacker wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:07 am I don't believe I am OCD, my wife does and now it seems that barb thinks so too.

they believe it - the rest of us know it...

Stick486 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:25 am

Bushwhacker wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:07 am I don't believe I am OCD, my wife does and now it seems that barb thinks so too.

they believe it - the rest of us know it...

LOL Stick!!!!

OutoftheWoodwork wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 12:10 pm

Stick486 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:25 am

Bushwhacker wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:07 am I don't believe I am OCD, my wife does and now it seems that barb thinks so too.

they believe it - the rest of us know it...

LOL Stick!!!!

It's not nice to laugh at a Bushwhacker.

Bushwhacker

Nice cutting board.

WOW , never seen a end grain cutting board before like that. Great job, beautifully finished too.
HErb

Herb Stoops wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:10 am WOW , never seen a end grain cutting board before like that. Great job, beautifully finished too.
HErb

Thanks, my Grand Daughter's husband loves it, so all is well.

Bushwhacker