I picked up some 1/2″ rope this week to make a boarding ladder for the sailboat. It seemed simpler and much cheaper than buying a transom ladder, or pre-made rope ladder.
Ben immediately decided that we should build the rope ladder from “The Magic Tree House” series of books. He even brought down a copy of one of the books so we could look at how it was made.
This morning we went out to the workshop and picked out some wood (I think it is cedar) that was the proper size and didn’t need milling. It was a quick project with both boys helping. The rough lumber isn’t slippery, so it makes the ladder safer.
Total time: 5 minutes picking out lumber; 10 minutes cutting the lumber by hand; 10 minutes to drill the holes on the drill press; 10 minutes to make into a ladder with both boys helping.
We finished in time to head to the submarine base and spend an hour and a half swimming at North Lake before lunch. Now to build the boat ladder….
I’m at a good stopping point in the workshop renovation, so I figured I’d start using the workshop. Tie to jump into the kitchen island project.
This morning I milled the legs from white oak. I spent some time thinking about how I would make the mortises and tenons for the project (8 total each to attach the apron to the legs). The last project I had routed the mortises on the router table, and made the tenons using the table saw. I thought about it, but didn’t really want to go that route.
I didn’t really want to do all the mortises by hand either. So I’m using the drill press to clear out most of the wood from the mortise, and then cleaning it up by hand. I made a mistake with the first one. I should make the tenons first – then the mortise. I made the mortise, and had to make the tenon to match. I cut the tenon by hand. It didn’t fit right off the saw – but it didn’t take too much to make it fit – so I’m pleased with how it turned out. I also decided to make them haunched tenons. I also plan on pegging the tenons – hopefully they are long enough to make it look decent. I guess if I need longer tenons, it won’t be terrible to do by hand – I’ve only cut one mortise and tenon that I’ll need to adjust.
One of the advantages of doing things by hand – I’ll work on one joint at a time. No need to set up the power equipment and batch the joints. I can also listen to music while I do the handwork. It is much more pleasant than using the big power tools. Don’t worry, I’ll still use my power tools. I have no desire to rip a 5 foot long piece of white oak by hand. Nor do I want to take the 5/4 white oak and mill it down to 3/4″ without using the power planer.
I am feeling good enough with the workshop renovation to start the next project (using the workshop). I am not quite done on the workshop – I still need to fix the trim around the new window and add trim around the other windows on that wall. I also need to finish cleaning out the cut out area for the stairs (and finish the railing on the top). However, I’ll treat those as separate projects and fit them in later this spring.
Kitchen Island by Asa Christiana - inspiration for my next project
The next project will be an island for the kitchen. I was inspired by the island built by Asa Christiana (of Fine Woodworking). I plan to change the plans – his project is a little too large to fit into our kitchen. I will make the island a little narrower and probably a little shorter (he didn’t give dimensions). The base will be made from white oak, not butternut and the top from ash vice soapstone.
I’ll have to alter the design for more than the size. Our kitchen feels narrow, so a longer, think island would be better. I’ll put an overhang on one end (short side) and not the long side, but I will try to do the carving details that he added, and may modify some of the details on the legs. It will be my first attempt at carving – it will be a good challenge (and I do have the Fine Woodworking article to help me).
Will helped me pick out oak for the legs yesterday. I’ll try and get the legs milled this weekend.
Today was the big day for workshop projects. I had the window painted and ready to go this morning. I didn’t find time to work on the workshop yesterday, so I set aside today to install the new window.
The window is big, 4 feet by 5 feet. This morning I cut out the appropriate studs on the south side barn wall, and added a 2×6 header to support the wall. Then I took the big plunge, cutting the hole in the wall. There was no turning back at that point. I had to finish the project today or leave a big hole in the side of the barn.
It was a hot day to be working in the workshop, but I got the new window installed. It adds a lot of light to the barn, and when open it allows a huge cross breeze. However, I am not totally finished. I need to add hinges and trim out the inside of the window.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with how the project turned out. I made the sill from a piece of white oak I had beneath the barn. The rest of the framing was mostly pine. I was even able to get the trim installed and painted this evening.
The inside view of the new window
I’m not sure how it looks. That wall of the barn is leaning a little bit; I installed the window level (so it would open/close easily). It is pretty obvious from both sides that the window isn’t square with the wall (the un-square wall). I think if I ever reside the workshop, I’ll try to make the window less obviously out of line with the rest of the barn. Of course I’m at a loss on how to do that, so if anyone has any ideas, I’d love to hear them. Maybe next time I should add the windows so they line up with the unlevelness of the building.
I also added a curtain inside (I had a curtain laying around). It is a south facing window, so I want to try to minimize how much sun I get in the summer. I love how much light it brings into the workshop. That corner of the shop had been pretty dark. And yes, as you can tell from the top picture, I still need to paint and trim the two top windows on that wall.
I painted the trim around the window “Concord Buff” from Sherwin-Williams. I’m thinking about painting the house that color, and I wanted to see how it matched up with the brown (the window is painted the same color as the accent color on the house trim – “Rookwood Dark Brown”). I don’t think the green shingles on the side are the nicest looking, but they work and residing the workshop isn’t in the plans for this summer.
I can’t believe I actually purchased these. It is completely useless crap. It functions neither as a proper chisel or a proper rasp. Please don’t ever purchase one of these. I’ll give you mine. No wait, I won’t even do that. I’m throwing them away. They have been sitting in a toolbox for a couple of years now just waiting for me to throw them away.
What is wrong with them? They can’t be used as a proper chisel (the rasp portion is in the way of close cuts). They can’t be used as a rasp (you need to hold both ends of a rasp, the second end on this one is the sharp end of the chisel). Maybe you can open cans of paint with them. But mainly they will sit in your toolbox until you get frustrated enough to throw them away.
I’m guessing whoever designed them had never worked with either tool before. And the idiot in marketing that thought they should sell them… The set is about $20 at Amazon. Don’t purchase them.
This weekend I’ll spend some time cleaning out the workshop and getting rid of other tools that I don’t need or that don’t work.
It felt good to get back into the workshop after over a week out of town for work. I took a little break from my workshop renovation to build a saw bench with Ben. He helped me mill the top from a piece of lumber (maybe wormy chestnut – I’m not 100% sure, could be wormy pine) before I left.
Last night he helped me get the legs cut from a piece of cypress I had below the barn. He helped me mark out and cut the dadoes for the legs, but then got a little bored with the project.
I did most of the remaining work. The stretchers are red oak (I had it laying around), and I didn’t make a bottom shelf. I milled the lumber using the power jointer and planer. However, I did nearly all the joinery by hand. I can tell I need practice with the hand tools.
Ben helped me assemble the bench (glue and wood screws). Tomorrow I’ll take the old workbench I made for the boys and put it on the second floor, leaving only the saw bench. I have a thick piece of ash set aside to make the top of Will’s saw bench (when we get around to it).
One more project completed this year. Now to the sharpening station (also spoken, “Kitchen table”) and sharpen some of my very dull tools.
Completed saw bench (I didn't have Ben cut a notch for ripping - I'm pretty sure it will be a while before he rips any lumber by hand).
I had a pretty good weekend in the workshop. Will and Ben accused me of being boring (spending too much time in the workshop – so I spend more time with them on Sunday). It feels like there is a lot more room now that I am cleaning up the shop. One more set of shelves and I will be done with the organization on the fist floor. As promised here are pictures.
The new stairs (from the first floor)Completed Stairs from the top. Missing hand rails (but if you look closely, you can see Tucker in front of the shop vac).
Last month I completed a set of pretty simple cutting boards with Will, Ben and Ben’s friend, Anthony. Making long grain cutting boards is simple, and was easy for the boys to complete.
I did all the milling before the boys arrived. I found a bunch of scrap lumber in the workshop and cut them to about 15″ in length. I then milled them all to the same thickness. The exact thickness doesn’t matter – I just made them all match the thinnest piece of scrap.
I marked then cut them into varying strips of 1/2″, 1″, and 2″ width. I marked arrows on each piece so the grain all lined up (so I could use the jointer/planet in the final boards to clean them up).
I then had the boys mix and match the strips into boards that were no wider than 7″ (so they would fit on the jointer). In hindsight I could have let them make the boards a little wider. The boys then glued up the strips into boards and let them sit overnight.
After the boards were dry, the boys helped scrape away the glue squeeze-out and I ran them over the jointer and through the planer to even them out. The boys can help at the planer, but have to stay away from the jointer.
I then cut the boards to size on the table saw, and the boys used the router table (with a lot of supervision) to round over the edges. They then hand sanded the boards and applied a coat of mineral oil/beeswax coating.
It was a quick project that required little prep and no cost by me (the scraps would have gone into the fire put if not used). The steps were short and simple enough for the boys to not get bored. And the boys had a chance to appreciate the beauty of different species of wood.
It feels good to have a day where you get a lot done. It has been busy enough that it is worth making a list of things completed. The morning was unexpectedly free when Will didn’t wake up feeling well enough to go to soccer practice (the bad night sleep on Thursday catching up with him):
Took fencing and an old barn sink to the Sawyer farm – returning tools I borrowed from them, and getting 4 dozen eggs.
Finished the new stairs to the second floor of the workshop. Pictures to follow when I feel like going out there and taking some
I got rid of some antique windows, random scrap lumber and some old tractor pieces using Craigslist – and all was picked up today.
I removed the original stairs to the second floor of the barn.
The boys and I made a bonfire, and burned most of the wood from the original stairs.
I moved the drill press and bandsaw to the corner where the old stairs had been.
Lots of cleaning and organizing the workshop(but I still have a ways to go).
Picked up Will’s friend, Tyler, for a sleepover – they are outside playing for now.
Moved the water tank to the second floor.
I still have a little ways to go on the workshop, but the end is in sight. I have to clean up the stairs, add a handrail and a railing in the loft. I still have some shelves to build to finish putting away all the tools – I also need to go through my tools and get rid of ones I don’t need (hello Craigslist). After I complete the work inside, I need to install the large window on the south facing wall, and add exterior trim to all the new windows (and replace the rotted trim on the south facing wall). But overall, the renovation has made the workshop much more usable. All of a sudden it feels like I have nothing but space…
I have been making good progress on the workshop. The biggest part of the renovation is a new set of stairs to the second floor. The current stairs are in the front corner and are too steep, too little headroom, and no landing at the top. Originally there was no handrail, but I put one in last year. One of the other problems is there is no way to close off the second floor so I can heat the first floor.
After much thought and planning (if I haven’t mentioned it, I like to discuss projects endlessly before I actually decide what I’m going to do), I decided to put a new staircase in the back corner. To make the stairs a normal angle, I needed to have the stairs turn a corner. Over the past couple of weeks I have built the wall that will hide the stairs, and have started constructing the stairs themselves.
Saw Till and Hand Plane Storage
I am using the new wall as my hand tool storage (and display) area. It is a work in progress – I have to use the workshop as I am building in it, so I have been adding storage as I go. I had been storing my planes on a shelf, but that is a pretty inefficient way to store them. So for this new wall, I built a storage rack for them. the planes are held in place with a clip and magnet. I used laminated pine shelving that I had laying around (it had in a previous life been part of a stereo cabinet). I also built a saw till. Okay, I built two saw tills. The first one didn’t work so well. I took a 10″ wide piece of lumber I had laying around and cut slots in it to store the saws. Unfortunately, I wasn’t thinking and the slots were across the grain. So the fingers between the saws were pretty weak. On try two, I used one of the laminated pine boards and cut the slots going with the grain. This version is much stronger. It holds three back saws and four hand saws. Now I have to get around to sharpening more of the saws.
Cutting the hole for the stairs from above
Over the past couple of weeks I constructed the landing where the stairs will go around the corner. It is framed 2x6s supported by 2x4s. It is mostly level (as well as I could do with the current unlevelness of the barn). The stairs going from the landing up to the second floor will be 46″ wide (it was a good width based on the overhead joists), but the three stairs from the landing down will only be 36″ wide (I had to fit the stairs to end at the support beam, so couldn’t widen the bottom).
After completing the landing, I built the stringers and stairs down to the first floor. It was pretty simple, only 3 stairs down. The top stringers were a little more work, 9 stairs up.
Tonight (with some assistance from Will and Ben) I started cutting the hole in the floor for the stairway. Of course, once I opened up the floor it meant no more kids on the second floor until the stairs are finished – if anyone falls through the hole, hopefully it is one of the cats, and if not a cat, then a dog, and if not a dog then me.
This week I’ll finish cutting the two joists out, and install the stairs. The treads are made from two 2x6s cut to length (and ripped to width). I haven’t decided where to put the light switch for the second floor – either leave it where it is or put it over by the bottom of the stairs. I’ll also need to add a light on the stairs – they are much darker now that they are enclosed.
After the new stairs are built, I’ll tear down the old stairs and cover up the hole from them. Under the stairs will be storage, and a sink (and maybe a urinal – I have a beer/soda machine, power tools, so all I need is a urinal to make it complete). I picked up a 60 gallon water tank on Craigslist that I will use as a water supply. I’ll put the tank on the second floor and let it gravity feed (it would already be on the second floor, but it couldn’t fit up the current stairs).
I also make a good score at a garage sale this weekend. I picked up a new set of chisels (though I may turn them over to Mark at cost – otherwise they are my loaner chisels), a Stanley 4 1/2 smoothing plane in good shape and a Stanley #120 block plane (okay, not the nicest block plane, but it is in pretty good shape compared to my other block planes).
