What power tool projects could I make to complement my hand tools?
September 15, 2010 10:30 PM Subscribe
I signed up for a woodworking class. Suddenly, I have access to tools that I've never had access to before, and probably won't have much access to for the next few years. I'd like to find a project I can do that will complement my home workshop.
At home, due to space and budget constraints, I work almost exclusively with hand tools. The only power tools I have are a circular saw and a cordless drill.
I signed up for a woodworking class, and now I suddenly have access to pretty much every power tool a woodworker could want. We can come up with our own projects, and I'd like to make things that fit the following criteria:
1) Will be helpful in my home workshop
2) Will let me practice various joints on the power tools.
If something is very useful but has simple joints, that would be fine, but whenever possible I'd like to practice different joints on the power tools, since this class seems like the ideal time to learn.
I have a few ideas already, but I'm hoping for more suggestions or input. My ideas so far:
1) A wooden jointer plane (plans) - I have a 3, 4, and 5 1/4 right now and will hopefully be getting a 5 soon. I've been wanting a jointer plane, and it would be fun to make one while I have accurate machines to make it on.
2) Circular saw jigs such as this cross-cut platform
3) A chess board (unfortunately the lathe is broken, so I probably wouldn't be able to make pieces)
4) A tool chest
3 and 4 are projects I've wanted to do for a while, but I can probably do them at home.
That's all I've got, so if you have any better ideas, I'd love to hear them
At home, due to space and budget constraints, I work almost exclusively with hand tools. The only power tools I have are a circular saw and a cordless drill.
I signed up for a woodworking class, and now I suddenly have access to pretty much every power tool a woodworker could want. We can come up with our own projects, and I'd like to make things that fit the following criteria:
1) Will be helpful in my home workshop
2) Will let me practice various joints on the power tools.
If something is very useful but has simple joints, that would be fine, but whenever possible I'd like to practice different joints on the power tools, since this class seems like the ideal time to learn.
I have a few ideas already, but I'm hoping for more suggestions or input. My ideas so far:
1) A wooden jointer plane (plans) - I have a 3, 4, and 5 1/4 right now and will hopefully be getting a 5 soon. I've been wanting a jointer plane, and it would be fun to make one while I have accurate machines to make it on.
2) Circular saw jigs such as this cross-cut platform
3) A chess board (unfortunately the lathe is broken, so I probably wouldn't be able to make pieces)
4) A tool chest
3 and 4 are projects I've wanted to do for a while, but I can probably do them at home.
That's all I've got, so if you have any better ideas, I'd love to hear them
Best answer: Don't throw out your idea of making a chess board. I made a checker (chess) board in high school woodshop a decade ago. Even if you can't make the pieces, it's still an awesome project. I loved making mine. Protip: make a really nice border for the board- you can practice joints there, as well as finishing it nicely with a router.
posted by mintymike at 12:15 AM on September 16, 2010
posted by mintymike at 12:15 AM on September 16, 2010
How long does that woodworking class last for?
If you're dealing with space constraints at home, I'd definitely go for your own made-to-measure workbench/toolbox/storage combination. Always nice to be able to work someplace that's adjusted to you iso you having to adjust. With maybe a folding worksurface, or a detacheable tool chest?
A lathe is nice if you like your chess pieces traditional, but of course they can have any shape you like. So don't throw away the chess board idea just yet.
posted by Sourisnoire at 12:33 AM on September 16, 2010
If you're dealing with space constraints at home, I'd definitely go for your own made-to-measure workbench/toolbox/storage combination. Always nice to be able to work someplace that's adjusted to you iso you having to adjust. With maybe a folding worksurface, or a detacheable tool chest?
A lathe is nice if you like your chess pieces traditional, but of course they can have any shape you like. So don't throw away the chess board idea just yet.
posted by Sourisnoire at 12:33 AM on September 16, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions so far! I should add that I workbench and a hanging tool cabinet already. The only reason I'm hesitant about the chess board is because it seemed like a good one to do at home to practice my hand planing. Of course there's no rule that says I can't have two chess boards...
posted by chndrcks at 7:17 AM on September 16, 2010
posted by chndrcks at 7:17 AM on September 16, 2010
Best answer: I make furniture and have a furniture shop. This doesn't exactly fit your criteria, but I'm sure you will get plenty of excellent answers along those lines. So I'll throw in something different.
A Grandfather clock. Essentially, they are a simple cabinet adorned to taste. The Shakers made some beautiful ones and they are amazingly simple (which gives them both a modern and hand-made artisan feel at the same time). Some are more complex. The mechanisms are all bought separately, and you can get them completely assembled to just install in the cabinet. It's a deceptively easy project and would make use of about every major tool in a fully equipped shop. The joinery can be as complicated as you feel confident with. Exposed dovetails, or uncomplicated internal joints...it all works. Perhaps you would save some of the detailing to accomplish later with your hand tools on a smaller scale.
The sounding of chime will become a integral part of your home. It will be an heirloom.
posted by nickjadlowe at 9:04 AM on September 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
A Grandfather clock. Essentially, they are a simple cabinet adorned to taste. The Shakers made some beautiful ones and they are amazingly simple (which gives them both a modern and hand-made artisan feel at the same time). Some are more complex. The mechanisms are all bought separately, and you can get them completely assembled to just install in the cabinet. It's a deceptively easy project and would make use of about every major tool in a fully equipped shop. The joinery can be as complicated as you feel confident with. Exposed dovetails, or uncomplicated internal joints...it all works. Perhaps you would save some of the detailing to accomplish later with your hand tools on a smaller scale.
The sounding of chime will become a integral part of your home. It will be an heirloom.
posted by nickjadlowe at 9:04 AM on September 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Take a look at Woodsmith for some ideas. When I saw your question, I thought "tool cabinet" as well. Here is the result of searching their plans for them. For your needs, I think that this would be a welcome addition.
It's amazing, too what necessity will produce. I set up a drill press in my shop, but it needed to be up 30 inches or so, so in the span of an hour, I knocked together a scrap plywood stand and as an afterthought, put in a shelf. The stand now holds the drill press and bits on top. On the shelf are the cases for the saber saw, biscuit cutter, as well as the dado blade. Extra saw blades are on a nail pounded into the side. It's turned out to be an amazingly functional little beast that came from "I need to raise this thing up".
If I were you, I would consider making a rollaway cabinet that doubles as a router table. A router was my third power tool (drill, saber saw, router) and one of the most indispensable for joinery.
Doing the woodworking class thing got me into woodworking. It's nice to have access to good tools, but if you care about your work you will find yourself spending more time fixing the set up on the machinery than using it. As a novice, I certainly made some ill-advised changes to existing tools. As I got better, I was fixing my classmate's work. My time in class also became an exercise in time management - when I came in, I tried to have a set of useful things I could do while I waited for a table saw/planer/router, which were in near constant use. And when/if you do box joints (whether on table saw or router), you will be the asshole that makes everyone wait while you get the set up just right and then spend the next half hour cutting pieces.
Other things you can consider - my last project of any scale was this entertainment center. I elected to do it without doors and one side cabinet that I modified to be a bookshelf optimized for holding CDs and DVDs (it's a little dim to see) and turned 90 degrees. I was built to match the finish of the room. Although not in this picture, I installed the same baseboard on the unit and coped it so it fits right in. After that step was done, it was nice to look at it and realize that it would never leave the house.
One of the things I enjoyed in the making of the project was using a stacked rail and stile cutter for making the doors. I've done rail and stile before for a blanket chest with raised panels, but even using a table saw for the cuts, it tool a hell of a lot longer than using the bit on a router table.
posted by plinth at 11:29 AM on September 16, 2010
It's amazing, too what necessity will produce. I set up a drill press in my shop, but it needed to be up 30 inches or so, so in the span of an hour, I knocked together a scrap plywood stand and as an afterthought, put in a shelf. The stand now holds the drill press and bits on top. On the shelf are the cases for the saber saw, biscuit cutter, as well as the dado blade. Extra saw blades are on a nail pounded into the side. It's turned out to be an amazingly functional little beast that came from "I need to raise this thing up".
If I were you, I would consider making a rollaway cabinet that doubles as a router table. A router was my third power tool (drill, saber saw, router) and one of the most indispensable for joinery.
Doing the woodworking class thing got me into woodworking. It's nice to have access to good tools, but if you care about your work you will find yourself spending more time fixing the set up on the machinery than using it. As a novice, I certainly made some ill-advised changes to existing tools. As I got better, I was fixing my classmate's work. My time in class also became an exercise in time management - when I came in, I tried to have a set of useful things I could do while I waited for a table saw/planer/router, which were in near constant use. And when/if you do box joints (whether on table saw or router), you will be the asshole that makes everyone wait while you get the set up just right and then spend the next half hour cutting pieces.
Other things you can consider - my last project of any scale was this entertainment center. I elected to do it without doors and one side cabinet that I modified to be a bookshelf optimized for holding CDs and DVDs (it's a little dim to see) and turned 90 degrees. I was built to match the finish of the room. Although not in this picture, I installed the same baseboard on the unit and coped it so it fits right in. After that step was done, it was nice to look at it and realize that it would never leave the house.
One of the things I enjoyed in the making of the project was using a stacked rail and stile cutter for making the doors. I've done rail and stile before for a blanket chest with raised panels, but even using a table saw for the cuts, it tool a hell of a lot longer than using the bit on a router table.
posted by plinth at 11:29 AM on September 16, 2010
There are a bunch of plans ideally suited for your current list of tools at Knock-off Wood. It looks like she's re-branded/renamed her site recently.
This doesn't really help you decide what to make in your woodworking class, but it gives you LOTS of options when the class is over. Last I looked, the vast majority of her plans only required a drill and a circular saw. Maybe a clamp or 2.
I made an adirondack chair using her plans with a few minor adjustments and it went together really easily.
posted by specialnobodie at 1:33 PM on September 16, 2010
This doesn't really help you decide what to make in your woodworking class, but it gives you LOTS of options when the class is over. Last I looked, the vast majority of her plans only required a drill and a circular saw. Maybe a clamp or 2.
I made an adirondack chair using her plans with a few minor adjustments and it went together really easily.
posted by specialnobodie at 1:33 PM on September 16, 2010
Response by poster: I've started a flickr account where I'll post my projects. Here's what I have so far:
Tool Cabinet
The first plane I restored - it's a #3
The second plane I restored - a #5
posted by chndrcks at 3:44 PM on September 28, 2010
Tool Cabinet
The first plane I restored - it's a #3
The second plane I restored - a #5
posted by chndrcks at 3:44 PM on September 28, 2010
Response by poster: So far I've made the plane I linked to and I'm finishing the chess board. I might add a frame and storage area to the chess board, I haven't decided yet. I'll post some pictures soon.
I really really liked the grandfather clock idea, but I think it's too far beyond my budget.
I like the router table suggestions as well. I already had that on my list, but forgot to mention it. A router will probably be one of my next power tool purchases.
posted by chndrcks at 11:42 PM on October 24, 2010
I really really liked the grandfather clock idea, but I think it's too far beyond my budget.
I like the router table suggestions as well. I already had that on my list, but forgot to mention it. A router will probably be one of my next power tool purchases.
posted by chndrcks at 11:42 PM on October 24, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Wooden clamps--functional and potentially beautiful.
A piece of shop furniture--a workbench, or clamping or sanding station.
posted by LarryC at 11:15 PM on September 15, 2010