Toolcase: Finished

For the finish, I used high-gloss tung oil, and paste wax. All of the walnut got 3 coats of oil over 3 days. I use a t-shirt as an applicator. For the wax, I use a t-shirt to wipe on a layer, and let it sit for about 30 seconds. I then buff it out. I didn't oil the painted portions, even though the paint package says you can, when I tried, I failed, so I only rubbed on some wax.

I apoligize for the not-so-good photos, I went outside to get some better light than the weird creepy light of my basement, where this piece will hang.

Blue Phase

The case is all painted up, now all I have to do is install the hinges, and the tool-holders. I actually went out and bought a bunch of nice screws, but they are either too short or too long for what I need them for. Darn.

Toolcase Part 7

I have changed the layout since the last post, because the chisel holder ended up taking up more space than planned. The chisel rack is a piece of walnut 1" x 3/4" x 8". The holders are each 3/4" apart. For the Japanese chisels, the slots have a bevel only on the top, back. This keeps the chisels from falling out the front. I also did this same strategy for the long 1/4" chisel. For the long 1/2" chisel, I cut out space for the ferule, and the bottom. I then used a countersink bit to allow the flange of the chisel rest in it. This also makes the chisel not fall out. For the rabbet plane, just a piece of wood in the shape of an "L". For the bevel-up plane, I cut out two small pieces that hold the top of the handle securely.

Toolcase Part 6

With the two major components of the piece done, I moved on to the layout of the case. This is what I've come up with.

Toolcase Part 5

After the door's components are adjusted to satisfaction, I painted the pane, as it will be easier now than later. I used milk paint where you add water to powder. I got sea green, but I think a slightly more green color would have gone better with the walnut. I think the sea green would be nice with a lighter wood, such as cherry. I gave the panel two coats on both sides and after each coat, I lightly sanded with 320 grit. I then prepared the door for drawboring and glued it up with a little glue. This is a first for me, and it woked extremly well, the hardest part was making the pegs so they had a gapless fit on the exit side of the hole. This is the door gluing. I also glued up the case. I didn't use any clamps on either the case or the door, the door was kind of self-clamping with the drawboring, and the dovetails held themselves together.

Toolcase Part 4

After the case is done, and the grooves have been made, the joinery for the door must be cut. I am using mortise and tenon construction. I'm not exactly sure whether they're referred to as haunched tenons, because part of the tenon is stepped in order to fill the gap made by the groove running the full length of the board. Layout was simple I had made the grooves not in the middle of the frame, I made them a little more than a 1/4" from the front. So I used that 1/4" as one edge of the mortise, and made another edge a 1/4" from the other side of the stile. I then set my gauge for those same distances, and scribed them onto the tenon. Mortising is very straight-froward. Drill out as much as possible, chop out the rest, and then with a wide chisel, pare the sides of the mortise. I'm not sure how to explain how to cut the tenons, I just used my saw from my mitre box, and cut to the line. I try to fit the joint straight from the saw, but I always try to lean towards a little thicker. For the shoulders, I left about 1/16"-1/32" from the saw, and then trimmed the shoulders with a wide chisel. I also undercut the shoulders with a 1/2" chisel. Once everything is tight and square, trace the inside of the frame onto the material for the panel, and add about 1/4" to every side, or the depth of the groove. I used plywood, but if I did it again I think I would use real wood. The frame was slightly too tight, so I planed the edges a little on each side. I didn't worry about busting through the veneer because it's all going to be painted, or hidden in the groove.

Toolcase Part 3

For the carcass, I just dovetailed the four pieces together. Since I am definitely not an expert in dovetailing I will not write about my method, because that would be silly. Also the grooves for the panel are done, all I have to do now is make the mortises and tenons, and make the specific tool holders that will be screwed onto the back panel. For Christmas I received a old Stanley 31 transitional. I flattened the sole, and tuned it up. Unfortunately, the blade is almost completely used up. It's fun to use, except that because of its weight and size(24" long), it's a little clunky to use on my "bench", which is just more motivation to build a new bench. Also another downside is that someone clearly filed the yoke down so the plane's backlash is unbelievable. It appears that someone filed the slot for the chipbreaker larger increasing the problem. Other than the tote being chipped, the blade old, and the frog modified, the plane is in very good shape, with almost all its jappanning intact, only having a few chips here and there. The only other bad news is there's no way it's going to fit in the toolcase!

Plough Plane: Part 2

As I left off, the fence, lever cap, and body were all not finished. the body is just a three piece lamination. During the glue-up, try to keep the skates flat with each other, though it is good to also lap them after the glue has dried. For the lever cap, I cut a notch less than halfway across a piece of aluminum 1/4" thick and about 3/4" wide. I then drilled and tapped a hole at the end without the notch. For the retaining bar, I used scrap 1/4" diameter steel bar. For the fence I glued two pieces of wood at 90 degrees and then another larger piece onto the "L". For the fence adjustment system, I sawed and chiseled a dado that was just a little undersized for the arm. I then took out a little material from the upper half of the groove. That way I could put the arm in the desired position and press it down in the groove for a tight fit. Then after everything is dry, assemble the plane and set the blade for a light cut, and take it away.

Trouble shooting:
Make sure the blade is tapered so that it's bottom is slightly wider than the top.
Make sure the skate is totally flat.
Make sure the blade is sharp.
Make sure the blade is not set too deeply or too far in.

Making a Plough Plane: Part 1

To make the groove in the rails and stiles of the frame and panel door I needed have the means to make the groove. I would have considered doing it freehand, except the panel is thinner than my thinnest chisel. So I decided to make a quick and dirty plane. For the blade I used the same metal that was used in the blade for my Stanley 78. To make the bevel, I screwed the stock onto a scrap piece of wood. I then went to work with coarse sandpaper on glass. For the body I first made a rabbet 1/2" wide and 1/8" deep. This works since the body will be a three piece lamination, and the cutter is 3/16" wide. The skate is 1/16" thick, so that leaves the blade standing 1/6" out on each side. Simply screw the skate on. The skate extends 1/2" below the plane, but I might trim that down a bit.


Stay tuned for the exciting Part 2.

Toolcase Part 2

For the top/sides/bottom of the case, the back sits in a rabbet, so when the case is seen from the side, the sides of the back will not be visible. To make the rabbet, I built a "t" shaped fixture. On one side a peice of 1/2 ply is nailed and a 1/4 ply is on the other side. I simply clamped the fixture to my stock and planed away. When I had established about a 1/16" of shoulder I chiseled out the waste until there was about 1/8" left. I then finished up with the rabbet plane.

With the rabbets cut, I could proceed on to the final length dimensioning. First I cut off as little as possible on one end, with a miter box, or freehand. I then shoot the board with my new shooting board(it's hard to think now how I did without it) until the edge is nice and square. I then mark the desired length cut, and shoot, until the exact length is reached. If the waste is too little to cut, but too much to shoot, you can pare away the waste with a chisel, and then shoot. The length has been reached!

Now, not to gloat too much, but the shooting board really does "walk the talk". This board's edge that is in the foreground was at the exit side of the plane in the shooting board. I did not chamfer or relieve the edge in any way. There is no tearout.

Tool Case: Hand-Sawing

My intention with this project is to document the process of building a small project completely from hand tools. Since my wood supplier sells wood in fairly dry, straight, and smooth, I will not go into how to straighten out boards with hand planes.

Here is how I cut pieces from a board:
After the layout lines are made, I made them easier to see by tracing over them with white pencil. To start sawing, place your thumbnail next to the blade to guide it, and pull the teeth across the wood at a fairly low angle. After the kerf is well established, hold the saw at a steeper angle. Make sure that your dominant arm is in line with the cut, if your arm is not pushing directly forward, if it is not directly lined up with your shoulder, the cut will not be perpendicular. Be sure to not the hand grip as well, I find it to be the most comfortable and efficient.For beginning hand-sawyers, I would recommend cutting about an 1/8" from the line to leave room for mistakes. This excess material can then be scrub planed off later. To correct for wandering, lay the saw down at a lower angle to the wood than normal. This makes the saw go into the already long established cut, and puts it on the right track. Also, if the saw habitually seems to lean to one side of the cut, lightly pass an oil stone across the side that the saw leans to. A properly sharpened and tuned saw will cut quickly, and should produce coarse shavings(on the right in the photo), not fine dust. In my opinion, burning some calories and building my muscles is way better than listening to the racket of my saber saw. A handsaw will make a very enjoyable sound when sharp, and still allow me to listen to my radio.

Walnut and Poplar

This morning I got out to my hard wood supplier to buy the materials I need for my tool case, which I'm almost finished drawing. I bought 4/4 low-quality walnut that was cut from trees by our local lake, and 4/4 popular. Neither boards are very wide, but it doesn't matter. As I was coming home, I realized I forgot to buy wood for the panel in the frame and panel door.
(I'm sorry about the picture being sideways, I don't quite know how to flip it.)

Here is the design almost finished. The large space in the top right hand corner is where my #4 plane will go, I just didn't decide to draw it. Same with the space to the left of my square, it will hold the bevel-up plane(when I'm finished). All the case will be is a shallow box, dovetailed at the corners, with a frame and panel door, and different tool specific holders. The rails, stiles, and holders will be walnut and the rest will be poplar. I'm not quite sure what to do for the back, I'm thinking about using plywood, since the holders will be attached to it, and if the back wood moves, it could mess up the holders.