The Shop on the road to Damascus
Ever notice the number of web pages that never show you how the products are made? I rather proud of what I do, and how I do it....so, I'm starting a page or three with photos and comments about how I make the things you see on the previous pages. Since this page will be a work in progress, as are the products, it will, of necessity be incomplete. Can anyone guess why I call it "The Shop on the road to Damascus"?
And, no, we don't live on the Damascus Road. We're at the corner of East Idaho Ave and Clover Court
Two men - one barn - seven hours
From vacant lot to 12 x 24 shop in less than a day. They did a great job. Notice how close the pitch of the roof is to the carport roof. The building sits exactly on the setback from the back fence and the road...to the inch. Not bad planning. The flag flies twenty four hours a day.
From vacant lot to 12 x 24 shop in less than a day. They did a great job. Notice how close the pitch of the roof is to the carport roof. The building sits exactly on the setback from the back fence and the road...to the inch. Not bad planning. The flag flies twenty four hours a day.
My office - crowded, but fun
Every bit as crowded as it looks. Except for the shell, I did the rest of the work - built the loft and stairs, drywall and insulation...and, the apprentice-type electric stuff. Fun, but I wouldn't want to repeat it. The stairs on the left go to a storage loft...a good place to store extra lumber, and stuff we just can't bring ourselves to throw out. A bar on the far door and bars on the window,hopefully will keep unwanted midnight visitors outside. A Grizzly 12 inch hybrid cabinet saw is at the far end, bolted to the floor. My Mikita sliding miter saw is on the left - bolted to the bench. A gazzilion hand and hand-held power tools on the right, and, out of sight on the left, on another bench are more power tools. Everything fastened in place. No matter how hard I try, I rarely am able to keep the shop shipshape Bristol fashion. The lumber on the right bench is being used to build a 40" x 15" high x 18" deep (with a 36" back) benchseat for a customer. Trying to finish it by Christmas (2011). So far, so good.
Quite a few men have stopped to admire the building, look it over, and speculate about having one on their property. Quite a few women have not been thrilled when their men have .stopped to admire the building and speculate, etc....! It does add quite a bit to the property, though.
A Benchseat in the Making
Everything begins as a stack of...in this case pine (on the bench). From there its mostly cutting, gluing and biscuit-splines. Not quite as simple as it sounds, but you get the idea. A portion of the lumber will end as scraps and sawdust lumber. Gets tricky minimizing the scrap.
Probably the keys to this are patience and learning by your mistakes. If you are willing to take the time, start slowly, and use whatever machinery that comes to hand, then you can build these pieces. I began, some years ago, with a castoff scroll saw, a carpenters table saw older than me with a worn blade, and tools scrounged from a pawn shop. Now, of course, the tools that I use are more accurate, expensive, and professional. Remember, it only takes twenty years to become an overnight success. The wood I've wasted getting this far is considerable but every piece of scrap has in itself been a learning experience.
The Devil is in the Details
I can hear my honorable ancestors whispering: "Phil, the devil is in the details. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS!" How true. Every spot of dried glue must be removed, carefully. The sanding is never ending, and...tedious. Begin with 80 grit and end with 320. The angles must be precise. The corners sturdy. And, often enough, as the glue is setting, you'll discover that a biscuit-spline was put in wrong and is creating a space between two boards. Quick, tear it apart, wash the glue off with warm water, remove the splines and begin again. The first two pictures are of my attempt to set glue by placing the piece in front of my shop heater. Finally gave up and took the pieces into the house to dry and cure in the kitchen, Just before the cold drove me into the house tonight I managed to fasten one end and the front. Starting to look like something other than a collection of scrap.
A thought here -- craftspeople are caught between a rock and a very hard place. Sell the work for what people can afford...and lose money. Or, put a price on the work close to its true value....and starve. Or, stay someplace in between...and pray. The labor can be very intensive. In a lot of cases, being a financially successful craftsman is almost an oxymoron.
A thought here -- craftspeople are caught between a rock and a very hard place. Sell the work for what people can afford...and lose money. Or, put a price on the work close to its true value....and starve. Or, stay someplace in between...and pray. The labor can be very intensive. In a lot of cases, being a financially successful craftsman is almost an oxymoron.
Finally beginning to look like something...!
Will it fit, together? Will it fit...together? Always that question. Carefully measure twice...and cut....fit the smaller pieces - ends and front panel together. The same to be larger, more inricate back panel. Then, with drums rolling, fitting everything together? What? Something isn't quite right? Carefully sand the offending area and try again. Then, clamp, spline and glue. And, "Shazaam and a bolt of lightening" - It fits nicely! Another miracle performed by Him, with some muscle work by me. Still a long ways to go, but the results are making themselves apparent. You might say that, from these perspectives the end is in sight!
Monday, Monday, Monday..........................
No photos, today. Spent the entire day either on the cell with AT&T trying to rid my phone of password junk. Dont really want or need passwords, but...to no avail. Other than that, spent the balance of the day,sanding....more 80 grit to 320 grit...and putting in the bottom of the bench seat. Both of which would make exceedingly boring photos. Will post some tomorrow, when I put the "arms" on and begin the lid.
Its beginning to look a lot like...like....a benchseat
Mercy, but it is chilly in that shop. I have a wonderful little propane shop heater that pumps out the heat...and the fumes. So, I spend most of the day bundled up, telling myself (which never believes a thing I say), that its OK. I can take it. Hah. Accomplished quite a bit, although it wont show...much. The bottom was particularly tricky, as I had to fasten it from three different directions. The "arms" I believe are based on a New England Shaker piece that I saw once upon a time. They give the piece a good flow. Far right is as I left it, tonight. Needs the lid and hinges, and much sanding before I'm done...but, the end is near. Those tiny brown dots across the front are walnut plugs over the screw heads. I thought that it would provide a neat contrast to the pine.
Still durn chilly!
Well, the end is in sight, I think. Making the lid is more complicated that I like. The problem was...in what order do I glue and biscuit-spline?? I wanted to biscuit-spline the center piece as well as glue. To accomplish that I needed to put an end and side piece together, wait for them to cure ( the glue), and do the same with the other end and side. Then, I had to carefully cut the places for the biscuit-splines on both sides of the interior piece, and the matching areas of the top and bottom. Then gluing was messy, but a liberal application of warm water and a rag eliminated the problem. Sliding all three pieces together, I clamped them and brought evderything into the house to cure. Still need to sand, but the pieces fit well. Matching the mitered corners (on the left) isn't all that bad. However, fitting the center, piece, (middle picture,) is a little tricky. Its an odd dimension, so I can't simply cut a piece and fit it right in. Need to shave the sides, bit by bit by bit. Tomorrow I finish with the lid and put the hinge on.
Twas the Friday Afore Christmas and All Through the Shop....................
Twas two days afore Christmas and all through the shop, the sawdust was flying and the hammers did drop. On the bench in plain sight stood the project, so grand...all finished but for one thing...the lid.. . too large. The cutting, the fitting, the words, oh dear!. With tweaking and sanding, and praying. Tis finally fitted, and looks so grand, but the varnish and wax must wait til Santa's helper gets rid of a really bad head cold.
Its every bit as large as it looks. Pretty decent job if I do say so myself. But, the glory goes to the Lord! Without Him guiding me, this would still be a pile of lumber waiting to be shaped. Rather like us. Without Him, we're just a pile of clay waiting to be molded as He wishes. Guess this benchseat is a metaphor for our life with Him. Merry Christmas to everyone...and, remember Who we celebrate on Christmas Day.
Its every bit as large as it looks. Pretty decent job if I do say so myself. But, the glory goes to the Lord! Without Him guiding me, this would still be a pile of lumber waiting to be shaped. Rather like us. Without Him, we're just a pile of clay waiting to be molded as He wishes. Guess this benchseat is a metaphor for our life with Him. Merry Christmas to everyone...and, remember Who we celebrate on Christmas Day.
Finished!
Well, actually,...it does require some fine sanding and a few coats of paste wax, but, for all intents and purposes it is finished. Walnut and pine throughout. Six cubic feet of storage. Brass piano hinge and brass handles. Natural stain and three coats of polyurethane.The credit goes to The Lord. I simply did what He told me to do. Sometimes, I didn't listen well and He had o repeat Himslef, but He is patient. It's easy if you listen to Him.
