Weekend projects 1/29

Chris Hatfield

Former Member (by the member's request)
Messages
380
This post is going to be a bit short on pictures, as I forgot to take any. :doh: I'll try to wax poetic and let you form a picture or two in your mind.

Started on the shop makeover, eschewing replacing the walls temporarily to get it cleaned up enough to do that. The first task was to redo my lawnmower cubby, as it will be a critical structural piece in the new shop.

Previously, I had temporary shelves just over the mower, on two levels, being plywood pieces supported by vertical 2x4 at each corner. The back part was lower, because the engine didn't have to go back that far. On this back part sat my golf club caddy, and on the front, higher part sat plastic bins of stuff. All of this was disassembled.

For construction, I purchased a few nice 2x4 studs. I made two rectangles on the vertical axis of the lumber and used half-laps as the joinery. One side is longer than the other to facilitate removal of the mower. This is joined together up top with more 2x4, and I put a piece of scrap plywood on top of this as a solid surface. On top of this returned the golf caddy. I did this to get a good sense if I would be able to enclose the caddy and hang clamps on the door. I think I can, and I think it will be a good use of the space. I know it's hard to get a visual of that, and I'll try to get a picture or two. Think of it as a corral with a roof.

The next step was to make a saw blade rack out of one of those scrap pieces I took off the old mower cubby. Used some Wood Magazine plans I found online, and used the BS to make the slots for the blades.

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A few things that I'm not happy about that I want to fix. First, it's too long. Holding 11 blades at that angle makes it project out way too far. Second is making the slots better, and thinking of a different method of making them. Third is the instability on the dado blades, as they are tenuous in the slots because the width is too wide. So I'd like to make one rack for the dado set and another for my 10" blades. Circular saw blades would probably go in the dado rack. I do like the insert storage on the sides, and wrench storage. May add a spot for the screwdriver I like to use to remove the inserts as well.

Took two attempts to make a chisel rack. First was with a piece of scrap ply, and I made the front cut too far into the drilled holes for it to hold anything. On the second attempt yesterday, I decided to use one of my purpleheart cutoffs from my cutting boards. Since it was longer, I incorporated a holder for my mallet. Made a rectangular cutout on one side with the BS to hold the mallet, and that turned out excellent. Finishing up with the chisels didn't go so well, I need to get my WS2K out to the shop and give them a tuneup. Drilled six holes with a forstner bit in the drill press right at the front edge of the piece to house the chisels, then used the BS to cut a little bit bigger access so these could slide in. That went well, except the bigger chisels wouldn't fit - too wide. So I did a freehand 45 degree cut on the BS to give them some room. Went well, the chisels fit. Should have stopped there. Thought it would look good if I did the whole thing like that. Well, it's not brilliant if I'm honest. A little bit crooked, but that's what I get for trying to do it freehand.

All of these things were an attempt to get me closer to my goal. One corner cleaned up and redone, saw blades out of packaging and the saw and up on a wall, and while I didn't improve things for my chisels, I at least got them off a magnetic strip and into some hardwood where they belong.

Goal for this upcoming weekend is to clean up all the dust I made and keep clearing surfaces.
 
Looks good. You might consider cutting some slots half way between the others and make it where it's about 4 - 5" less from the wall. It looks like the angle is enough to still allow you to grab each individual blade.
 
another thought would be to put a piece across the frnt to keep it it from spreading open.. if one of those dado chippers falls on the concrete your not gonna be happy
 
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