Posts by Wood Guy

Alvin,

Bring the float with you when you come. I'll make a little sleeve out of some delrin rod. Problem solved.

So far, so good, Amigo! I'll try to get the trigger mech installed this afternoon, then tomorrow head to the Tin Man's in Baton Rouge to celebrate a grandchild's birthday and do the handle with Jeff.

So far, so good, Amigo! I'll try to get the trigger mech installed this afternoon, then tomorrow head to the Tin Man's in Baton Rouge to celebrate a grandchild's birthday and do the handle with Jeff.

Continuing with the delrin installation:

Next comes the cutting of the track. First I cut the sharkfin slot, then come behind it with the ball cutter. I use a 3/16" spiral downcut router bit to get a nice crisp edge on the slot, and a 11/32" ball cutter, which gives a 1/32" clearance for 5/16" shafts but still lets Alvin shoot smallet diam. shafts if he wants.

Now I'll pin the delrin with a #4 x 6" screw that I turned the head down on, and open the first 3" of delrin to make the gun easier to load.

The next post will show the finished track

Continuing with the delrin installation:

Next comes the cutting of the track. First I cut the sharkfin slot, then come behind it with the ball cutter. I use a 3/16" spiral downcut router bit to get a nice crisp edge on the slot, and a 11/32" ball cutter, which gives a 1/32" clearance for 5/16" shafts but still lets Alvin shoot smallet diam. shafts if he wants.

Now I'll pin the delrin with a #4 x 6" screw that I turned the head down on, and open the first 3" of delrin to make the gun easier to load.

The next post will show the finished track

As you may know, awhile back on this post I mentioned that after much discussion with Alvin I had agreed to make a gun for him, rather than just the blank. I have been watching with a great deal of interest as Alvin laborously repaired the wetsuit and repeatedly tried it on to get it right. I figured I'd better get going on the gun since he now knows where I live!

The blank has been hanging for over a month now, and is still within the .005" of being perfectly flat along the sides and top that it was when I first finished it, with no warp whatsoever. The gun will be a euro style rear handled gun that will be 56" overall, will be 2.0" wide x 1.75" high at the butt end, and 1.75" wide x 1.5" high at the muzzle. The blank has 6 vertical lams with one across the top. West system 105 was used.

I had left the blank slightly oversized, so the first thing was to plane it to final dimensionns. Alvin opted for an enclosed wood track with a dovetailed delrin muzzle reinforcement. This makes the track at the end of the gun a lot more resistant to breaking out if a fish is shot at close range. I had already made the delrin section so the next step is to cut the dovetail in the wood. Then I'll cut the track through both the delrin and the wood at the same time.

Finding the center and depth for the dovetail:

Next I cut the dovetail, tested the fit of the delrin, and shaped the end of the delrin to match the start of the wood track.

So far, so good, Amigo! In the next post I'll continue with the track.

As you may know, awhile back on this post I mentioned that after much discussion with Alvin I had agreed to make a gun for him, rather than just the blank. I have been watching with a great deal of interest as Alvin laborously repaired the wetsuit and repeatedly tried it on to get it right. I figured I
d better get going on the gun since he now knows where I live!

The blank has been hanging for over a month now, and is still within the .005" of being perfectly flat along the sides and top that it was when I first finished it, with no warp whatsoever. The gun will be a euro style rear handled gun that will be 56" overall, will be 2.0" wide x 1.75" high at the butt end, and 1.75" wide x 1.5" high at the muzzle. The blank has 5 vertical lams with one across the top. West system 105 was used.

I had left the blank slightly oversized, so the first thing was to plane it to final dimensionns. Alvin opted for an enclosed wood track with a dovetailed delrin muzzle reinforcement. This makes the track at the end of the gun a lot more resistant to breaking out if a fish is shot at close range. I had already made the delrin section so the next step is to cut the dovetail in the wood. Then I'll cut the track through both the delrin and the wood at the same time.

Finding the center and depth for the dovetail:

Next I cut the dovetail, tested the fit of the delrin, and shaped the end of the delrin to match the start of the wood track.

So far, so good, Amigo! In the next post I'll continue with the track.

Hey Dan,

I looked at your jointer manual on line and it's different enough from the old Craftsman I had for me to have a hard time figuring out how to adjust the table. I'm still not sure how to do it after looking at the parts diagram and the manual, although I still think there is an adjustment. I'll look some more, but in the meantime I'd do what you have been doing- plane the board only where it's high, and use the table saw with a long straight edge to take out bow and square the blank. It sucks, but maybe there are some wood wizards out there who know how to adjust the thing.

Have you considered going to some of the woodworking forums and asking?

Bill

I'm not specifically familiar with Delta, but there are usually two studs with locknuts under each end of the table. You might have to look under the table itself to find them. If you loosen/ tighten the jackscrews you will raise or lower that end of the table. The two jack screws at the end have to be turned the same amount since they are used to level the table from one side to the other.

Set the inboard end of the table height at zero, then drop the outboard end about .010 or so. I found it helped with my short bed jointer. It also helped to make sure you don't push to hard on the wood. In my opinion, of all the woodworking and metalworking tools in my shop, jointers are the most technique sensitive, so don't give up.

What is the model number of your jointer?

Hey Dan,

Before you use your jointer for a boat anchor, try one more thing. Lower the infeed table to the level you usually cut at, make sure it's level, then lower the outboard end of the infeed table about .010" (the extreme right end in the picture you showed). Use the same technique you were using where you start the cut with pressure on the infeed table, then transfer pressure to the outfeed table as you have more board on the outfeed table.

Let me know how it works.

Bill

Hi Dan,

How long is the bed on the jointer? I would start by making sure the machine is set up right, but I can tell you the shorter the bed, the more technique sensitive it is.

Make sure the blades are set so when a straight edge is set on the table, the blades just barely touch the straightedge- not enough to lift it, just touch it.

Then level the infeed table by raising it to the outfeed table level and using a straightedge with a feeler gauge. Lower the infeed table and check it for level again at 2 lower levels- all the way down and about where you usually set it. You've probably already done this but if these settings aren't right you will get shitty results- I guarantee it.

When I had a jointer with a short table I always had a problem with it taking too much off the first 6-12" of the board. It's very difficult to apply exactly the right pressure to the infeed table, then transfer the pressure to the outfeed table in just the right way. I finally would do what you are doing- set the board down on the blade where I needed to take some off. I would set the table for a fine cut, then take small amounts off the ends until it was pretty flat. Then I would run it through the planer to level it up. Thats why I got the 76" long jointer. It's much less technique sensitive than a short table.

You've got the right idea planing the start and finish of the concave side of the board first. I got so I could do pretty well doing it that way, but it's just really tough with a short table

I have a portable planer and the only thing I've ever done with it is screw up a perfectly good piece of wood. Maybe it's just me but my brother feels the same way.

Sorry I can't be more help but I've never been able to plane long boards consistently with a short bed jointer.

Bill

Roger that, Alvin. Jeff, do you have enough black, or do I need to get some when I get the red and white?

I have a West Marine a few miles from me. Assuming they have the colors Alvin wants, I'll get the tubes and bring them with me when we come to Baton Rouge. We can do the handle then, I'll bring it back with me and we'll be good to go.

Alvin, we still going with red, black, and white?

Bill

Another problem solved by the Tin Man. Now if he could just do the "Bubble Gum" handle without those annoying little volcano spots!! Seriously, we could mount the handle when you come over, then Alvin could just fit it to his hand. I'll bet it would be close if you fit it to your gloved hand, Jeff. He might not even have to change anything.

Shipped the blank today- bubble wrapped and in a 4" pvc pipe. Let me know when it arrives and if it's ok. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the build.

Hey Alvin!

I checked the blank today and it's wicked straight- hasn't moved at all! I'm thinking one more set of numbers like this and we might be ready to get on with the fun part. Where do you stand on getting the trigger mech, handle frame, and shooting line retainer? I looked at the blank again and it might be the nicest figuring I've seen in the FEQ teak! I can't wait to get started on the build- I think you're going to be really pleased with the blank, and I hope with the overall results.

Bill

Yup. A lot of times the bit is a little less than true with the shaft and the "wobble" makes the hole a little big. At least that's true with the cheap forstners. I bought a couple of good ones for cutting holes for plugs on furniture and they were pretty true. Bits up in the 1-3/8" size could be a little pricey for a good one, though. I think I'd use your approach and just creep up on it slowly with the flycutter.

Are you going to try to get a forstner the actual size of the tube, or use your home made flycutter to get the final dimension?

I would think that they would have very good consistency since they would be set up to do the same thing the same way over and over. That said, iconsistent doesn't mean better. Mistakes are also reproduced over and over until they are recognized- recalls on cars, for example. I think the biggest advantage of "one off" anything is that the design and construction are constantly being "tweaked" to improve. Look at Grizwald and Tin Man. I'm not sure if they have built two of anything they've built. They are always trying to do the next one a little different to improve it- usually with success!

I know some guys use filler to fill the space better. That's what got me wondering how thick the space really was. I'm not going to worry too much about not filling the space if it's only .006".

I was discussing whether or not carbon fibers actually strengthened the joint awhile ago with Jeff. I actually got some carbon fiber cloth and worked out a little test where I would bulid a blank with and without the fiber using the same piece of wood and the same dimensions, then measure the deflection with a known weiight hanging from them. With the price of teak, I would probably use pine since it would probably be fine for a relative comparison. I just never got around to doing it.