The LOML and I have been on vacation to Ketchikan, AK. This was our 4th vacation in 33 years. Woodworking wise, I made 2 spurtles and 2 cutting boards to give to our friends that we stayed with. We went salmon fishing,toured around the area, went hiking, and just relaxed for the first time in a long time. What a wonderful time!
Well, that's it for me. What did you do this past weekend?
I hauled mama llama, baby, and a young alpaca to the church as a added element in a special summer program, this weekend it was Zoo Day. Had about 60 kids in several groups, age 3 to 9.
Still working on Beads of Courage boxes and preparing for a turning demo in about a week.
Got the door with the marquetry panel onto its cabinet. Still need to do the inside shelves. I'll post a picture as soon as I take one. The marquetry was quite a challenge, but really fun to do.
Hard maple or cherry seem to be the most robust. The bi-color sets out sell the single species 10 to 1. So on the bi-color one the two prong hinge portion the screw is anchored in is usually maple,cherry, ash or oak. The walnut tends to split with the tension of the screw and the flexing of the bow, but seem to work fine on the single wider center bow with the clearance hole for the screw. I made several prototypes before getting the proportions correct.
Indeed a picture is worth a 1000 words. I would worry about the screw threads abrading the hinge. I have made less elegant looking tongs with a brass pin where you use a screw. I used simple flat strips of maple with the spring slots cut into the pieces. They have worked for years. I intend to make replacements with the curved end like you designed, but I will continue to use the brass pin.
I really enjoy your “weekly column” and especially the sometimes surprising project reports it stimulates others in this community to report here.
However, some of us are retired, and the distinction of weekdays vs. weekends get kind of blurred. Others are, or were, professionally involved in woodworking, so our woodworking projects are mostly accomplished during weekdays, and weekends are reserved for getting away from the shop. Others, like my wife, seem to work seven days a week. Defining the word “accomplishment” can also be problematic to those whose outlook on woodworking is process oriented more than goal oriented.
So, the rhetorical question is how should us outliers respond to your report when our milestones are not necessarily delineated by the finish curing on Sunday evening?
If anyone would like to discuss how we can encourage more participation in this “feature” or other WoodCentral “features,” the chat room is staffed starting at about 9:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Although the chats are titled “General Woodworking, “Hand Tools” and “Turning,” respectively, these are only recommendations, and we are open to deliberating any woodworking accomplishments or problems any of you may have.
Hauled the last of my woodworking tools out of the barn, the 4-inch jointer, the Delta Sawbuck and the pig and electriconics that supply the third leg of my three-phase power setup for some of the bigger stuff I hauled previously. It's all nicely housed in a 40-foot shipping container until I can find a new home for it in Colorado. We're clearing out the Michigan property so it can be sold.
Bill, Years ago I made a bunch of wooden hinges. Used an 1/8 brass rod for the pin. Found that a numbered bit was perfect for the hole. No 60 maybe? The rod would slide into the hole nicely, just right. Put a little dab of cyanoacrylate on the ends to keep the pins in, but am not sure it was necessary.
I also made a set of tongs, but they are not the spring loaded variety. Got to give these a try.
