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+-- Thread: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project (/showthread.php?tid=7342088)
Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - Tony Z - 08-30-2018
Just what the title says! I was building a box for my Sargent combo plane (similar to the two Stanley 45's I have), with a dovetail job that was nice, to say the least. Popped the box apart to groove for a sliding lid, and my LV small plow worked beautifully. Checking fit one final time before glue.
Oh snap (different word was actually spoken), I grooved the wrong side of one of the pieces. Studying the situation, I figured I could rip the box down, cut new grooves and things would still work. Well, readjusting the depth stop knob on the plow plane, somehow the knob snapped off! Did I bump it or what? No problem, a call to LV and a new one is on it's way (great customer service in mailing out the replacement knob at no cost).
So out comes a 45, set up with a 1/4" blade to plow the groove, with a now fairly tight tolerance ranfpge to make things work. Start at the far end, like I've done many, many times, get the groove started. Ssecond full pass, not paying enough attention, the plane skips out of the groove. My cage is now rattled, so carefully I attempt to complete the groove and I skip again, this time ruining all hope of any recovery.
Cursed box or cursed lack of skills? Didn't wait to find out, as my handy hatchet made a nice pile of split kindling from the 1/2" poplar.
What did I learn? Not much, but my four year old grandson heard a few words that may just earn a bar of soap in the mouth!
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - Barry Johnson - 08-30-2018
Soooooo glad to hear I'm not the only one that has days in the shop like that.
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - barryvabeach - 08-30-2018
Tony, sometimes when I cut the slot on the wrong side, I step back and ask, how in the world did I make that mistake. What type of box are you building? I have a Stanley 45, but made a box similar in concept to one I once saw for the Sargent, which is a much better arrangement than the Stanley box.
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - Tony Z - 08-30-2018
(08-30-2018, 07:49 PM)barryvabeach Wrote: Tony, sometimes when I cut the slot on the wrong side, I step back and ask, how in the world did I make that mistake. What type of box are you building? I have a Stanley 45, but made a box similar in concept to one I once saw for the Sargent, which is a much better arrangement than the Stanley box.
Just a box to store all the parts. Nice initial effort on first day, second day,
I should have walked away at first error. Oh well, proof I need more practice!
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - BrokenOlMarine - 08-30-2018
I made the wrong side cut mistake before. Two things have helped immensely to avoid that mistake again. (Okay, three)
1. Slow down.
At least for me, if I get in a rush, I make mistakes. So I take my time, test fit, try and think two or three steps ahead.
2. Chalk.
Yup. Regular old kids blackboard chalk in blue, white, or yellow. (Choose the color that contrasts best with the wood at hand.) I mark the faces and positions of pieces... and mortises or dadoes. If I need to, I remark them prn. The chalk cleans up nicely at the end with a wipe of a dampened cloth...
3. On the phone...
Not working. Distractions at a critical point can cause critical errors. If the call is important, focus on the call. If not, I tell them I'm in the shop and we'll talk later, or I take a break and tidey up a bit while we chat. I don't work on the tasks at hand. Wouldn't want Father Jamison to hear your language if you had a mishap while you were chattin.
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - Tony Z - 08-31-2018
In thinking through my errors, it occurred to me, it has been some time that I've done a serious project, requiring full attention and thinking ahead. In other words, I've gotten fat and lazy, with repetitive tasks, that one just "hurries" through.
There have been too many remodeling around the house, fixing things for the kids, and similar tasks, that a redirect is needed!
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - daddo - 08-31-2018
Your mind is somewhere else. Stop then continue at a later time.
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - Bruce Haugen - 08-31-2018
Not woodworking at all, but the principle is the same:
I built houses with my dad, long ago. We were hanging 3/4” Sheetrock 4’x12’, used for backing electric heating cable on the ceiling, very, very heavy sheets. This was long before lifters were available, so it was just the two of us lifting and nailing. This particular one also had eight holes for can lights that we had to hit. Now, my dad was a real stickler for details, but on this sheet, we missed the mark by a lot. We started laughing, took the sheet down and cut it into one-foot squares.
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - WoodTinker - 08-31-2018
(08-30-2018, 07:49 PM)barryvabeach Wrote: Tony, sometimes when I cut the slot on the wrong side, I step back and ask, how in the world did I make that mistake. What type of box are you building? I have a Stanley 45, but made a box similar in concept to one I once saw for the Sargent, which is a much better arrangement than the Stanley box.
Barry,
Can we see a picture or two of your Sargent box? I have many pictures of a Stanley box.
Have on my list to build a box for my 55. Would be using a small stash of chestnut I got from a guy from Pleasant Valley, Md (PVWOODCRAFTS). Would be using my I-Box for the first time for this.
RE: Sometimes you just have to take an ax to the project - Tony Z - 08-31-2018
(08-31-2018, 07:22 AM)daddo Wrote: Your mind is somewhere else. Stop then continue at a later time.
Exactly!