Best shop ideas

[DconBlueZ]

"Best tool" depends one what sort of woodworking he enjoys. Making rustic birdhouses or exquisitely finished art pieces or cabinets/furniture?

Someone mentioned a shop vac - definitely a necessity.

A lathe can be used to make some really cool things and a lot of practical things as well. My lathe paid for itself the first time I replaced a broken spindle in a Windsor chair back.

LIGHTING. Lots and lots of it. Mix of incandescent and LED. I find that LEDs mess with colors but provide lots of light, incandescents get the colors right but not so bright. When I'm making cuts I use the LEDs, when I'm applying finishes I use incandescents.

Some of those foam floor pads that sell for $10 on sale at Harbor Freight. The big box stores sell them too, but for more money. Standing on a hard shop floor for very long can really make your feet hurt, these things are a Godsend. Over time I've covered almost my whole shop floor with them.

Does he like to work to music? I do. I bought a nice bluetooth speaker and play tunes from my phone.

 

[CrealCritter]

Working on a 3 in 1 converatable crib/toddler/full bed for my new grand daughter. This is the headboard roughed out dry fit, mortis and tendon white ash and raised panel wild black cherry. I like to do the hardest parts first.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Gorgeous!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

white ash is such a pretty wood, and IMO underutilized.

 

[CrealCritter]

white ash is such a pretty wood, and IMO underutilized.

I agree with you, they make baseball bats out of white ash. It's hard to work, that's most likely why it's underutilized. We'll see how it does when I try and bend it around the radius on top of the headboard.

 

[CrealCritter]

Well it's in glue, no turning back now. I didn't even need the board stretcher

 

[CrealCritter]

The headboard is out of glue and rough sanded. It's heavy and strong, like bull ox.

I found out that 7/8" thick White Ash doesn't like to be bent one little bit... But I made it do it anyways.

I asked my wife to help me. When I told her that I'm going to make this board bend around the radius on the top of the headboard.

She said your crazy! i agreed with her and all, but that's besides the point. Then she said you do know this is ash right, you know the stuff they make base ball bats out of? Yes I know that... Then she said I thought you were supposed the get it wet first? Then I said well that's kind of like plan B. But lets give it a try anyways. Here put these safety glasses on in and zip up your coat so it covers your neck, case it blows up and shoot splinters all over the place. That reassured her, that i really am crazy...

But it went off without a hitch. When we were done my wife said. I guess it just takes a crazy woodworker to get it done. Yep and with a lot of force, but we got her done.

Now that I know "it can be done" I'm good to go. Now I can finish working this piece of now ship plank and get it glued into place

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Just goes to show, you don't know untill you try. And being a little crazy doesn't hurt none either.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Love it!

 

[CrealCritter]

No wood hurt yet amazingly, I've asked a lot out of this white ash so far and it's delivered.

 

[CrealCritter]

Love it!

I do to... It's a very enjoyable project.