Now how stupid can you be.......

[Bill Huber]

I was gluing up a small face frame for my drum sander stand (more on that later) and I used dowels as normal.

Got it ready, did a test fit to make sure everything was right. I had 10 dowels on each side, put the glue in the holes and then the dowels, brushed the rest on the joint, put the parts on the one side and now to the other side. Put glue in all the holes pushed in the dowels, brushed the rest on the joint and put the side on.

Put it all in the parallel clamps and started to pull things together...... oh no one end is not coming together, did I not drill the holes deep enough, is there something in the dowel holes, did have have a long dowel in the box.....

So now I am in the panic mode, grabbed the dead blow and knocked things apart, not easy at this point. Got it apart and check the depth of the holes and they were just fine, maybe I had used a long dowel, I had pulled the old dowels out then and pitched them so I couldn't check the length.

Got 4 new dowel and in a panic still put things back together and WHAT the same thing, one end is not coming together. At this point I am not sure what to do and at that point I found that the parallel clamp screw was at it's limit, backed the screw out and slide the head against the frame am draw it right together....

Some days I wonder about myself, things came out just fine but there was a point I was about to just dump the frame and start over.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bill,

Sorry to hear about your problem but I am glad it was reversible!

At our age...it's probably not going to get any better either!

[Bill Huber]

Bill,

Sorry to hear about your problem but I am glad it was reversible!

At our age...it's probably not going to get any better either!

I am sure it won't get any better......

[Bob Potter]

Bill
I got news for you I'm 74 and these things happen more and more. I had to laugh when you said you grabbed the dead blow hammer it knocked it apart. I have had to do that when something wasn't straight or not fitting right or maybe had it put together wrong and I talk to it and tell it you are coming apart.
Glue ups can be a very stressful time. Later I have to laugh at myself but at the time there not funny.

As woodworkers we want to do the best we can but mistakes happen because we are human.

Bob

[Bruce Wrenn]

Ever put a chipper backwards in a dado set? Makes a lot of noise and is very hard to feed. What the world needs is a "stupid light" that comes on BEFORE you do something stupid, rather than right after.

[Rick Potter]

Well, no chipper, but I know this fella real well who put the whole dado set in backwards once.

The Fantum

[Victor Robinson]

Ha, I sure know that feeling of panic. The dry fits are so much fun but the glue-ups are where disasters strike. I've done this same exact thing before, and I'm probably a bit younger than you guys. So it's not necessarily age...might be the sawdust...

[John A langley]

Bill. I've used mostly pipe clamps until recently. Just spent a ton of money on some Bessey parallel clamps. I love them, they are a tremendous improvement. I've done what you did a couple of times and I believe this is not because of old age, I've gotten in the habit of checking the threads before I use them. The design of the clamp. Hides the threads. Always enjoy your threads and please posts picture of your cabinet when it's done.

[Wade Lippman]

Its not stupid, its careless.
At least I hope it is careless; I don't think I am stupid.

[Dick Mahany]

Had to laugh as I've done this too without realizing the clamp had simply run out of travel. It was with a cathedral arch raised panel door that I had a lot of work into. That awful feeling of panic and not knowing why joints weren't closing was not a fun experience. Fortunately I realized the simple problem before the glue dried and all was fine.

[Bob Reda]

Doesn't even crack my top ten list of stupid things I did !!!

Bob

[Tom Ewell]

Odd it is, mistakes can pop-up most anytime but their discovery seems to only occur just after they do.

[glenn bradley]

Doesn't even crack my top ten list of stupid things I did !!!

Bob

Amen to that ;-) Glad you got it recovered Bill.

[Chris Fournier]

I have had some great moments in the shop where the whole world should have stopped and taken notice of how great I was.

And then I have had many more moments where I'm greatful that no one stopped to take notice...

Your stories are familiar and I'd proudly wear the shirt that says "I'm with Stupid".

[Ole Anderson]

The older I get, the bigger my dead blow hammer gets.