Five years ago I built a giant crosscut sled for my old saw based on some plans I found in Fine Woodworking. It was an accurate sled, but it had a few deficiencies I wanted to improve on this time around. It could cross cut work pieces up to 42″ wide, but in 5 years I’ve never cut anything wider than 32″. So, while the extra capacity was theoretically a good thing, it let to a sled that was heavy and cumbersome to use. The weight issue was magnified because I used 3/4″ MDF for the base, because that’s what the plans called for.
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Last night I finished another little shop improvement project, a frame for my Starrett poster. Other than the Lexan protecting the poster, the frame cost nothing to make, as it’s made from scrap hard maple and plywood. The finish is my favorite quick to apply finish, two coats of Watco Danish oil. The only thing I should have done differently, was use Plexiglass, because real Lexan was a lot more expensive than I remember it being.
If you’re into machining, and you don’t already have a poster, I highly recommend you pick one up, as you can get it for free from Starrett if you make an account with them.
The final 2014 Christmas present I had to make, was a frame for a new entry mirror. Since I was going to use some notoriously difficult to work species, I decided I would document the built. The Body of the frame is Wenge, and the keys are made from some Gaboon Ebony I pull out for special projects. I’ve used the combination of Wenge and Gaboon before, but not on the scale of this project, and I have to say I really love The way it turned out. As a side note, hopefully this video is a little better than the last one.
The finished Mirror
Gaboon Ebony key
The other night I was working on a project in the shop, and since I finished what I was working on early I decided to make something to organize my lathes change gears. Making stuff like this is why I love owning and using tools. I started with a rough idea, and just made everything else up as I went along. In less than an hour, I had made something that fixed an issue that’s been nagging for as long as I’ve owned the lathe (10 years).
I’ve had my new table saw for over a year, and I finally got around to making a new miter sled for it. Since one of my New Year’s resolutions was to start making videos again, that’s exactly what I did. If you can handle some so-so audio & videography check out the video below. The sled is my take, and a simplified version of the sled described in this Fine Woodworking article by Robert Hamon.
It’s pretty quick and easy to make, and an invaluable tool when it comes time to make a picture frame or two. All you need is a piece of any sheet good, and some hardwood for the fences and runners. The base of my sled is made from a 1/2″ thick piece of MDF that measure 15″ wide by 48″ long. The fences are made from 1-3/4″ square soft maple, and the runners are made from a piece of 3/4″ thick White Ash. I think I have about $40 total in the raw materials, so material costs are pretty low.
