Just a reminder to those local to NJ, tomorrow the 11th is the CRAFTS of NJ "picnic" which is preceded by a really decent tailgating event where club members set up and sell tools. Again, think a flea market with nothing but tool vendors, sort of like MWTCA meets (which don't happen at all in NJ).  Here's the link with directions, easy to get to off of I-78 at mile marker 26.  If you've got the time, worth attending.

http://www.craftsofnj.org/index.php/crafts-picnic

Early on I'll be fondling everyone else's tools, pretty much if you're looking for something in particular, its likely to be there.  Later I'll set up at the back of my green and somewhat battered Tundra, likely bring some saws and whatever else of interest I scour up this afternoon.  If you're there, stop and say howdy.

The measurements were not very accurate but close enough.
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A 1/4" hole was bored into the head to match the handle followed by two counter bores for the tenon and bolt head.
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A little bit of 2 part epoxy and........
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So after a while it was back to the lathe for some clean up. and the result....
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A bolt with a medallion head will pass through the mallet to make sure it never comes apart on me.
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And there you have it. tomorrow is another day. Better I hope.

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So having a bad day with saws and decided to change my focus to get a fresh outlook. Of course I then continue with the bad day coming into cracks deep in the resin infused maple mallet I was turning for myself. Turning is quiet and tends to be a good stress reliever..... Most of the time. But not this time.
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So I was just going to throw away the little carving mallet in frustration. Then remembered a couple of gent saw handles I did not particularly care for and decided to try a 2 piece mallet.
So "OFF WITH IT'S HEAD!"
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I thought about using a red heart or blood wood handle, but I have plenty of black walnut handles at the moment. So walnut took one for the team.
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I wanted a small ferrule so off to the metal lathe I went and off came a brass ring. :
Then a quick redesign in CAD. Quick for me, anyway.

I was playing today with my CNC, experimenting with 3D carving. 
I created this wicker pattern and carved it using a 1/16" ball nosed bit.

Took about an hour to carve this section, 12" by 2". 

The issue with 3D carving is creating the 3D model to begin with, but this came out better than I had hoped.

Hi all, well thanks to all your help on my "Piston-fit Drawers".  As promised, here's some pictures of the completed dresser.

The primary wood is cherry with poplar as the secondary wood.  Finish is garnet shellac, SW Classic Cherry oil stain and GF Arm-R-Seal for the topcoat.

This is built for my 21yo grandson - he picked it out of the dressers at 1st Dibs website.  Here's the picture I had to work from:



Here's the front view of my reproduction:



Oblique view with drawers open:



Front view with doors open:


I think by clicking on the picture you can see my progress pictures.

I still have to install the magnetic door catches, but otherwise it's ready to deliver.

Thanks for looking,

Joel

It's got to be something I'm doing wrong, only I can't figure it out.

First time using Minwax water based poly and no matter what I do it looks like crap.  All it does is leave patches of bubbles.  I've tried brushing and foam brushes and it doesn't make any difference.  I think my next experiment will be putting it on with a broom, it can't look any worse.

Anybody have any experience with this stuff that could give me a few tips on how to avoid getting bubbles with every stroke?

Since my vice is vises, I was naturally attracted to this little gizmo. It is a parrot or swivel vise which is mounted on a post horizontally or vertically. It has some pretty swift features--one is the swivel. The whole vise swivels on the mount as long as the jaws are open but the swivel locks when the vise is tightened. Cool! There is a piece on the static jaw that rides on the bottom of the dynamic. The dynamic bottom is slanted so it locks the vise on the post as the jaws close. It even works with additional jaws attached to the faces. I added a base and a new set of hickory jaws. Now I am ready for a clamping adventure. Anyone else have one of these?

Thinking about picking up a 5" Fret saw. I have the 8" coping saw and am not that thrilled with it. So I was wondering what blade size for cutting out dovetail waste and general use if I buy the 5" fret saw from them. Thank you.

I'm only a hobbyist. When we moved to this place I gave up my shop and a 32x40 pole barn we had at the last house. The pole barn was really nice since it had a concrete floor. Here, all we have is a 32x50 machine shed (pole barn with a gravel floor) so I had to do something. What I came up with was a 32x50x10 building that will replace both my old shop and part of the pole barn. Right now I'm thinking that 30' of it will be shop, and 20' will be for the pole barn stuff that needs a concrete floor. Anyway, they just got finished with the shell last Tuesday, and here is what I have:
 

The backside, the storage portion will be on the left:




This is the front/side. The small OH door is for access to the shop area (lumber, etc.). I think the color difference is due to the time of day (or I screwed with the white balance).



Lastly, the inside. I did have it framed with 2x6 lumber to be able to insulate better. the rest of the work is on me, I'll get power (someday) and then finish the inside.

I picked up an early Stanley 5-1/2 at a yard sale, in need of a lot of cleanup.  Last night, I was examining it, and realized that the 2-1/4" wide cutting iron is dated in the third quarter of 1941, two years after Stanley rationalized production by making the iron on the 5-1/2 2-3/8" wide, the same as the Nos. 4-1/2, 6, and 7.  That got me hunting, and I found a 1958 catalog that still listed the narrower iron as a standard replacement part, listing it for "old style" 5-1/2s.

Now, granted, "old style" in this case means "up to nineteen years ago" (1939 to 1958); but if only Stanley still maintained replacement parts for "old style" planes...