Things happen when you haven't had enough coffee!!!!!!!!!!

My wife's spoiled. Her Mom tells her that regularly when we call my MIL.

Sharon has a metal swing on our small patio. It is a cheap eye-sore. I want it off the patio and the solution? I order plans for Norm's Porch Swing from NYW.

The wife didn't like the size.....she wanted it bigger.....longer than Norm made it.....longer than her existing one.... and she want's it wider....

So I drew up new plans and began the build a week or so ago.

The 7 1/2º tilt of the back rail makes some interesting joinery and especially since it's all mortise and tenon. I am tripping out making it. I am loving it. But I am making a few mistakes but I just redo it as necessary. Yesterday I finally had the swing end frames finished. I glued them up and put them in the clamps.

And while at Home Depot, I bought some Tite-bond II for the pins and a brand new relatively cheap Marples Japanese pull saw. I don't have one. This looks cool.

Yesterday evening, I drilled, glued and pinned all the tenons with 3/8" oak dowels.

I am just tripping out. Enjoying this! I will let the glue set up over night and tomorrow break out that new saw!

This morning at 0530, I climbed out bed, made a pot of coffee, grabbed a cup and headed to the shop. I grabbed that new pull saw, cut it out of it's plastics package and proceeded to start cutting the excess from the oak pins pinning the tenons.

Warning: With a brand new Japanese pull saw....you don't need to use a lot of force. Let the saw do it's thing. Not only did the new saw cut quickly through those oak pins....it cut even quicker into the knuckle of my left forefinger. Luckily I am right-handed.

Nothing worse than old kid on "Christmas" morning.........LOL!

Looking forward to seeing the final product.

Sorry about the injury. Glad it was a minor cut.

That's because you didn't introduce yourself properly to the saw. Japanese tools are very polite and don't like being grabbed without prior notice...

Jokes apart, I'm glad it was a minor injury.

Ah so, or should I say Ah saw?

Yeah, those saws are sharp. (DAMHIKT "Don't Ask Me How I Know That" is the translation for newer members.)

Keep your brain sharp and your fingers attached.

Enjoy,

JimB

Jim C Bradley said:

Ah so, or should I say Ah saw?

Yeah, those saws are sharp. (DAMHIKT "Don't Ask Me How I Know That" is the translation for newer members.)

Keep your brain sharp and your fingers attached.

Enjoy,

JimB

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...and be wide awake and drink more coffee before using them too!

I have that saw. I only use it occasionally, but I keep it handy, and when any door-to-door types come up the driveway, I pick it up as if I'm going to use it, and then walk down the driveway towards them, swinging it lightly in my hand...

when I use my marples trim saw, I always place a used/old sanding pad from my orbital, let the pin/dowel/plug Im cutting extend through one of the holes, and cut.
This is so I dont marr or scratch the surface of the piece.

Roger Tulk said:

I have that saw. I only use it occasionally, but I keep it handy, and when any door-to-door types come up the driveway, I pick it up as if I'm going to use it, and then walk down the driveway towards them, swinging it lightly in my hand...

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Ingenious! I will keep that in mind!

Ouch! Glad you survived the encounter.

ok, enough complaining about the injury (heal up soon ken!), where are the pics of the swing?

Dan,

Currently all I have finished are the end frames....with the back posts, seat end rails, front arm post and arm rests joined. I had to stop and spray for bugs as we have developed an ant infestation with all the recent rain. Now I have to get cleaned up and go get my new glasses.

Hopefully later this afternoon, I will get started on the back rails and front seat rails. I only have 34 mortiser left to make. I am glad I have a mortiser!

Later this week I hope to have it done.

I've done that too! It's amazing how well they cut flesh! Did you leave any red stain on it? Let's see some pics of that swing.

Ken Fitzgerald said:

...Now I have to get cleaned up and go get my new glasses...

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Yeah, right...blame the coffee, Mr. Eagle-Eye.

Don't blame the saw Ken, it is just doing what it does, that is cut stuff, and it seems to do so very well!

I have a good 7 or 8 Japanese pull saws, half of them have the replaceable blades, the other half are fixed blades that have to be sharpened. They sure do work well, but do take some getting used to!

Maybe you should stock up on band aids....?

I hope you did not bleed on the porch swing, then you would really be in trouble!!

Cheers!

Stu, my friend.....I didn't blame the saw....I blamed myself for not being fully awake...not having enough coffee (see previous comment) and me putting too much pressure. The saw does work well! I bled on the porch swing later...but sanded it out.

I hope by the end of the week to have the swing completed and then I will post pictures. I was quite pleased with the way the joinery turned out on the end frames.

Vaughn McMillan said:

Yeah, right...blame the coffee, Mr. Eagle-Eye.

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There are times when one wishes VBulletin had a like button!

I don't think that I have made anything without leaving a sample of my DNA somewhere on it

Bob Gibson said:

I don't think that I have made anything without leaving a sample of my DNA somewhere on it

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Isn't that just another way of signing a piece?

allen levine said:

when I use my marples trim saw, I always place a used/old sanding pad from my orbital, let the pin/dowel/plug Im cutting extend through one of the holes, and cut.
This is so I dont marr or scratch the surface of the piece.

Click to expand...

Allen..........Thanks! I had to pin the upper back rail, lower back rail and front seat rail to the end frames. Your tip worked like magic! Thanks again!