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[Vaquero]

Very nice, Marine.

RP

[BrokenolMarine]

Okay... back out after lunch and a few episodes of House. I love that doc, he is as Grumpy as I am.

Time to start getting seriously puckered. So, first, I set up the chop saw to cut the ripped pieces to length. With the chop saw, I use an adapter on the shop vac for dust collection and let em rip. I needed two pieces at 48" and two at 16".

11 set up to cut to length.jpg (528.3 KiB) Viewed 1978 times

I made my cuts, careful to keep everything square and tight to the fences. The leftovers can be used later on other projects, or for knife scales.

12 to length.jpg (480.67 KiB) Viewed 1978 times

I pushed the chop saw aside and moved to the other side of the shop and set up the table saw for cutting the dados. First to remove the single blade on the saw, and then prepare the dado blade and stack the spacers. The notes on the box say to stack two in the center for the half inch I want.

13 setting up dado blades.jpg (428.63 KiB) Viewed 1978 times

We got 'er in place and stacked and I check with the caliper, we are good to go.

14 need half inch width.jpg (324.95 KiB) Viewed 1978 times

There are a large number of ways to set up depth of cuts, and I have used them all. There is a depth of cut gauge that tilts as you raise the blade hanging on the peg board on the wall. These set up gauges are awesome and came out a few years ago. They are fast and easy to use.

15 setting depth of cut.jpg (492.63 KiB) Viewed 1978 times

Here we set up to make the pass. If you look at the leading edge of the board you'll see a chalk mark. I put one on each board after looking at the two faces. It goes on the face I want OUT, and after deciding on where I want the dado on the face that's down. If you are going to make multiple passes, and you should if the cut is deeper than 1/8th or a 1/4"; you'll either make this mark or learn by mistakenly making your later pass on the wrong edge that you should have. NOT that "I" have ever done that and learned from MY mistakes.

My final depth of cut will be 1/2", but I made two passes to get there. 1/4" and 1/2". This was a rather soft wood. If it had been any of the very hard woods, I would have made four passes. Also note the push block with the handle and stabilizing brace. Even though the blade doesn't come thru the wood, I use the push block. If there should be kickback, the block of wood could disappear in an instant, and there would be a very sharp set of multiple blades spinning below my hand. with a dado cut you need to push over the blade with downward pressure for a proper dado. NO Chances here.

16 ready to run.jpg (469.16 KiB) Viewed 1978 times

I made my passes, and we are golden. Next up, cutting the angles and test fitting the box frame. Done for the day. Once the box frame is done, I'll trim down the back panel and fit it inside. I was planning diamond tuck, but now I might consider... Consider... tooled leather background. THAT would be awesome, but would make this a much longer project.

[BrokenolMarine]

What do you think? Tooled leather background from a hacker? Reaching too high? I could tool a quilted background, that's within my grasp. I could attempt some Ivy or Oak Leaves and Acorns....

[Hatchdog]

What do you think? Tooled leather background from a hacker? Reaching too high? I could tool a quilted background, that's within my grasp. I could attempt some Ivy or Oak Leaves and Acorns....

I can’t offer any advice as I’m too exhausted just from reading the work you have done so far.

[BrokenolMarine]

Sunday Morning Work....

(First, thanks Hatch, It's a lot of work, but I take my time and limit my work to 60 to 90 minutes at a time, mostly.)
Sometimes I get caught up and don't realize how long I have been in the shop, then I pay later.

This morning, I got back at it and started by going over the dados with my little shoulder plane to insure they were neat and clean. I wanted to do that BEFORE I cut the 45 degree angles that will form the box. A couple passes down each side was all that was needed, the Stacked Dado Blades do a fine job. They are ten years old, but I am very careful with them and they will last another ten years as long as I do my part.

17 shoulder plane.jpg (617.39 KiB) Viewed 1955 times

I set up the Chop Saw and cut the 45s, careful to cut right at the ends, sometimes erring on the outside, and having to move IN for a second cut. You can always bite a little MORE off but can't add more back. After each pair was done, I matched the backs together to check the length. Slow but sure paid off, and they were all the proper length. They are ready to be test fitted.

18 ready to test fit.jpg (509.12 KiB) Viewed 1955 times

The only way to really test fit these things is a pressure fit, this calls for one of several methods. You can get out the long bar clamps and fuss with those, but I have found on frames, the perfect things are the Band Clamps. Thin as these are, two will work.

19 pressure fitted.jpg (444.17 KiB) Viewed 1955 times

These looked good, and I put a pair of 123 blocks in the opposing corners to check them for square, and BOOM, good to go. THEY aren't glued, this is a test fit. Another view below gives you a good look at the band clamps and how they work. I love these things. I used them when building a huge toy box for my granddaughter as well. If you build a small box, you can use rubber bands in the same way.

20 dual band clamps.jpg (445.35 KiB) Viewed 1955 times

While these were banded, I measured the inside of the dados so that I can cut the back panel to fit. That is the next step, after coffee and a break. Once that is fitted, it will be time to decide on the Leather carved panel, or one of the various cloth backgrounds.

[BrokenolMarine]

One last session this evening, before running errands along with the wife. I got back out and marked and prepped the back panel for cutting to fit the frame. Careful measuring resulted in a panel that needed to be trimmed to 47-5/8 x 15-5/8. I laid out the lines, marked them carefully, then measured them again.

21 back panel marked.jpg (393.49 KiB) Viewed 1929 times

I got the panel clamped to the sawhorses, and the saw set up for a clean cut... and made the cuts. Then test fitted the panel into the frame. Test Fitted, nothing so far will be glued or permanent. Too much still to do, we are FAR from done. It FITS.

22 cut and fitted.jpg (481.76 KiB) Viewed 1929 times

I unboxed the magnets. I ordered two pair, I'll need just three to span the case. The forth? I'll likely mount it on the knifemaking bench to hold tools. It will be put to use. The magnets will be mounted OVER The background, be it cloth or leather. Seems that centered works fine.

23 magnets laid out.jpg (375.32 KiB) Viewed 1929 times

I'm liking leather, but can't settle on the design for Tooling it. Miss Tina looked at the two pieces of cloth I had as options in my "linings" stash for boxes. A medium gray and a nice RED. She wasn't impressed, but said the gray would "work." She is going to Hobby Lobby tomorrow, and said she will look for a deep burgundy. I'll tag along, if I go with the Cloth I'll need a bit of rubber screen gasket and perhaps some very thin dowel or metal rod for installation of the cloth, plus a couple cans of adhesive spray.


*** NOTE: The back panel will NOT show from the front OR the sides or I would have used a much more presentable wood. The face will be covered by leather or cloth. The sides are set UP inside the frame. NOT visible.

[BrokenolMarine]

So you can agonize over a decision, and beat yourself up over it. Cloth or leather, leather or cloth. Then you just have to commit. A huge cut of leather like that?

Then you just commit. 46-1/2 by 14-1/2? Huge cut... but:

24 and then you commit.jpg (262.77 KiB) Viewed 1910 times

Now I have to lay out a carving pattern and TAKE MY Time carving... because leather don't come cheap.

[BrokenolMarine]

Carving something that size will take Days, or even a week depending on the coverage I decide on....
But the challenge will pay off if I take my time and do really good work.

I can do corner work, with borders and fill in the background with a quilt pattern.

The oak leaf and acorn pattern could be adapted for the corners.

practice.jpg (509.42 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

This basketweave might work in the background, but it would take DAYS....

practice 2.jpg (1.93 MiB) Viewed 1905 times

The brown colored patterns at the bottom of this pic is the Quilted Pattern, and can be adapted with larger squares to fill open spaces... I like it...

practice pieces.jpg (345.01 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

This serpentine pattern can run around the borders where the corner pattern isn't present.

07 not bad.jpg (410.59 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

So much to choose from...

[BrokenolMarine]

Okay... the plan is, I'll put the serpentine border around the edges, then the wide basketweave (Quilted) pattern in the middle to fill. I "Might" do a single corner carved. I have to check the wood supply for some quarter round molding that will go around the inside of the box to insure the leather stays flat and hides the small gap around the edges. If not, a trip to home depot. I'll need a couple 8' pieces. Oak, or pine, I'll want a light color finish when I'm done to keep the interior bright. NOT going to rush this part. Will pick up a 4' piano hinge and screws while I'm there.

Tomorrow's work is out... trip to OKC to the VA hospital for an appointment, that kills the day. Two hours up, two hours back and I always go up at zero dark thirty to avoid the morning rush hour traffic... it's terrible on I40 and I 35.

[BrokenolMarine]

A trip to home depot on Tuesday yielded the quarter round molding and the piano hinges I wanted, but Yesterday was a waste. Got up at 320am and left at 4am and drove to OKC for the VA, didn't get home until after 4pm. Long day. This morning messed with installing the VOIP on the phones. Done.

Now, I got out into the shop and set up to cut and install the quarter round shoe molding in the case frame. I removed the leather and cut and test fitted the molding. I didn't want to scratch and scar the leather with the in and out of the molding pieces, I wanted them to fit tightly. They do.

25 cut and fit quarter round.jpg (516.68 KiB) Viewed 1860 times

Once I was sure of the fit, I inserted the leather and reinstalled the molding, for another test fit. Looked good. I marked the edge of the molding on the leather. This defined the tooling window. I will lay out the tooling inside that window. A serpentine border and quilted pattern with my small logo in the lower right hand corner. I was going to tool the floral pattern in the upper left, but Miss T said no one will notice with the KNIVES in the case. (Compliment? Or Smart Azz remark? )

26 fit over leather and marked.jpg (328.8 KiB) Viewed 1860 times

I disassembled the case and marked all the pieces to insure it went back together the same way it came apart. EVERY piece is coded. I can sand the sides and the quarter round and prep them for staining and the glue up, AFTER the necessary holes are drilled.

I took my break for the back, still aching from the drive and hours in the chair at OKC, but was back out later to lay out the patterns on the leather. No pics, they won't show until I cut them in with the swivel knife. You'll see them then, and I can start tooling. That will be fun, and aggravate my arthritis.... but should be beautiful when done.

Watch this space...