Tool Chest

[ken hatch]

Be careful about what you might use to finish cypress(if you apply a finish). Paint does not adhere well to it. I made a large "parcels" box out of cypress years ago. The cypress outlasted the steel screws holding the hinges. I left the cypress unfinished.

Thanks George. BTW, that's funny, not often wood out lasts steel :-). I'll look at different seal coats, if none work, then just some BLO.

ken

[george wilson]

Yes,the steel screws rusted so badly,they got entirely too small to stay in the wood!

[steven c newman]

About the same as iron screws used in oak boards...

[Matthew Springer]

<quote>There is only so much beer, whisky and tacos a man can enjoy at one time.</quote>

Challenge Accepted! That wood looks great.

[Adam Cruea]

There is only so much beer, whisky and tacos a man can enjoy at one time.

Blasphemy! Absolute blasphemy I tell you!

[ken hatch]

Trust me guys, last trip to Mexico I pushed the limit. After three days it sure was nice to be back in the shop .

[Stew Denton]

Ken,

I was wondering about a vise. I don't have a shop yet, but am thinking strongly about building a relatively small one. After that there will be space for bigger projects, like a bench.

I have wanted a traditional European type bench, but also thought about a portable bench. An English bench has never really appealed, but for a portable bench, this bench really looks like it has possibilities.

That said, in the past I have wondered about how a vise on such an English bench would be set up and work, so am very interested in what you will build. By the way, what is a "QR" vise?

Stew

[steven c newman]

"QR" vise is a Quick Release vise.

[ken hatch]

Ken,

I was wondering about a vise. I don't have a shop yet, but am thinking strongly about building a relatively small one. After that there will be space for bigger projects, like a bench.

I have wanted a traditional European type bench, but also thought about a portable bench. An English bench has never really appealed, but for a portable bench, this bench really looks like it has possibilities.

That said, in the past I have wondered about how a vise on such an English bench would be set up and work, so am very interested in what you will build. By the way, what is a "QR" vise?

Stew

Stew,

Once I start the bench build, posts and photos will follow.

At times I've worked on many of the traditional benches including European, French, and English. I've built both French and English, my current main bench is a cross between French and English. French bones and English skin. Of the benches I've worked on my preference is English mostly because they are very simple and the apron is less trouble than a Bench Jack or sliding Deadman plus I almost never have a use for a tail vise. Too many gizmos on a bench just get in the way of working. Of course as always YMMV.

I also like the older English QR (Quick Release) vises such as a Record 52 used as a face vise. I've mounted the vise both proud and flush, currently flush but it's a toss up which is better. One way works easier for some operations and so on, no true better way just preference.

Damn Bubba, you don't have to build a clock every time someone asks the time.....

ken

[ken hatch]

I'm almost through prepping the panels for the tool chest build. Steve Voigt send me a new Jack, it arrived just in time to help with the panels. What a sweet plane, While I used the ECE Try for some of the prep, most of the grunt work was done by the PhillyPlane Jack and Steve's Jack. with final smoothing done with Steve's Smoother. The PhillyPlane Jack has a lot of camber, just slightly less than the ECE scrub, Steve's came with almost perfect camber for a Jack. Working the three of 'em made getting the panels ready for dovetailing a piece of cake.

I made an unforced error cutting one of the panels to final size and left a big honking knot right in the dovetail line. Can you say "Condor Tail" to work around the knot. Anyway here are the three on the final panel, from left to right the PhillyPlane Jack, Steve's Jack. and Steve's Smoother:



A glamor shot of the three, all beautifully made. Of the two Jacks if I had to only keep only one it would be Steve's:



Thanks Steve, it is a wonderful plane.

ken

[Mike Cherry]

Yep it looks fantastic!

[Brian Holcombe]

Looks great! I like the notations on the side of the panel, for grain direction?

[Steve Voigt]

Ken,
That was fast--yay priority mail! Glad you like it.
Any idea what the bed angle is on that philly plane? It's a nice looking plane!

[ken hatch]

Thanks guys,

Looks great! I like the notations on the side of the panel, for grain direction?

Busted :-). Old habit, helps keep me from making too many mistakes and quicker than looking for grain direction each time I pick up a board.

ken

[ken hatch]

Ken,
That was fast--yay priority mail! Glad you like it.
Any idea what the bed angle is on that philly plane? It's a nice looking plane!

Steve,

The timing was perfect, I'd roughed out the panels with a scrub plane and the Philly Jack and was getting ready to prep 'em for the smoother with one of the #5's. I was not looking forward to it, They, the metal planes, are too heavy and hard to push even when waxed and on these wide board I needed to be able to plane both right & left handed. It is easy to do with a wood stock not so much with a metal. Bottom line, your Jack saved me from OD'ing on Advil.

The Philly is a nice plane, this is not packing sand, yours is nicer to use (other folks MMV) I expect for several reasons. The Philly is slightly bigger, the iron is single and bedded at 50* and currently has too much camber. Over time as I sharpen that will change. Both are good Jacks, just slightly different, but I'm glad you are doing what you are doing.

ken