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I love the shims you used for leveling the 1st board.
If this was not winter, I would have the option of working outside and I did a lot of that this past summer. Most of the problem is accurately ripping and even cross cutting without a lot of repeated setup. In the past my use of a track saw was mostly in breaking down stock so that it was easier to use the table saw for final dimensioning. Those woodworkers using track saws for final dimensioning are using some form of a MFT and the accessories to make this a lot easer to make quick, repeatable cuts. There are other options besides Festool, but they all cost a lot of money. There is the DIY option, but that generally requires tools I don't have to make them, easily. I need something that can fold up and be put away until needed again. I can borrow living space but only for a while. Complicating all of this, is my hope this is only temporary and I can build a shop in the next two years. So it is a hard pill to swallow to think of spending money on a solution that would not be a consideration if I had enough "permanent" space. I can't buy a SawStop now, hide it in a closet and drag it out when needed. I am mulling over all my options and trying to pick the "right" path.Well there's sure no faulting the quality of your T&G joints, that's for sure!
I actually think that some of the small shop struggles are super useful to talk about. The odds of any of us being there for one reason or another are pretty high (moving, working at someone elses place with limited tooling/space, life happens, etc..) so it's imho quite valuable to think about.
Yeah it's layers of tradeoffs...I am mulling over all my options and trying to pick the "right" path.
Funny how you don't think about how you are going to install something until you are ready to do it. In the back of my mind I knew it would be difficult to hold this 5' board and accurately screw it to the wall so that it was level. Being the first board it was crucial to get it in the correct position. Add reaching over my bench to do it made it more difficult, so I decided to use the bench as there is not enough room to move it around. I was scrounging every scrap of wood I had to come up with enough height to support it. Even used some playing cards on one end to level it up.I love the shims you used for leveling the 1st board.
Thanks Peter! On the tongue and groove joint, I just pushed the plane along the wood. There is no great skill in that except keeping the fence tight to the wood. It is a joy to use joinery planes like this.This is interesting Bill, even with the frustrations. Some organizational upgrades are on the list here for this winter, so I’m keeping a close eye on how you execute your tool wall ideas. As Ryan pointed out, your standards sure aren't slipping!
Keep up the good work!
I know exactly what you went through cutting those strips of plywood, and I think you have an understanding of my need for something portable and yet able to make repeatable accurate cuts without a huge amount of constant measuring and marking. I could easily afford the Festool MFT, but I am not liking that solution for a couple of reasons. First, it is too small and would require two of them. Not a big deal. The biggest problem is that it is flimsy and a lot of the accessories are not well thought out or made. Festool makes some really great products but a lot of their accessories fall way short. There are now third party accessories that are much better designed and made with better materials. I am trying to navigate through all of this to come up with a workable solution.Yeah it's layers of tradeoffs...
I wonder if a temporary MFT setup that sat on top of the workbench would be doable. Potentially too tall to be useful, but for small amounts of one-off work... might be an option.
I've pretty much only used the track saw for bulk work, I did cut a bunch of backing strips for a mural mounting project down town.. but that was "mostly" bulk work as well, I just had to support the saw on the off-side with scrap piece (basically a ton of 5" wide x 8' long strips ripped from ply).
At least it burns. Just don't throw it into a hot wood stove. It is like pouring gasoline on a fire. It gets exciting real quick.Looks like fun!
I think it just withdrawal symptom.Obsession or insanity?View attachment 119578
Not done yet, but getting there.What, no small chamfer for the holes and slots?
Looks really good. I had to take some time to catch up on this thread and live vicariously through you Bill. It really makes me want to take some time to do some actual woodworking projects. My wife has been keeping me busy with coat hanger/curtain rod hanging and other organization projects, obviously when I'm not tearing down houses, digging up stumps, and chasing electrical/plumbing issues.