A New Project in the New Shop

[BrokenolMarine]

I have some pics from the last couple sessions, but haven't posted them yet, they show the sanding and prep work. I went out this morning to test fit the glass before staining and assembly in case I needed to widen or deepen the dado for the glass.

I carefully set up two sides of the frame, and clamped them in place, then laid the glass flat on the table in it's protective cardboard sleeve. Cut away the plastic wrap covering the flaps, then leaving the cardboard as a pad on the table put the top edge in the dado and jiggled it to slide it into the side dado.

Boom... The 3/32 glass exploded. The pucker factor was high. Then I noticed that there was red stain leaking on the floor. Oh, wait, I wasn't painting. A cut on the palm. No stitches, but pressure, and a tight bandage.


I'll replace the glass with plexi. The old man didn't buy plexi because he couldn't afford it. I broke his glass, I'll replace it with plexi. At a standstill til I do.
These things happen. Will need to clean up the floor as well.

[BrokenolMarine]

Here are the pics as promised... funny, I'm missing the actual sanding pics, but here is the setup.

01 sanding.jpg (198.51 KiB) Viewed 4611 times

I used 220 grit to round and smooth the areas I had worked over with the Moulding Plane, then went over the whole board for each of the four sides. I didn't sand and will not stain the joint area as I want that slight roughness for the glue to hold better.


I used a scrap of Oak that was a failed (what? Failed? ) Side panel where the saw pushed the board away from the fence when cutting the dados to create a finish test panel. I knew what I wanted to use as a base, but it's NOT my finished product. I took the panel to the old man and HE agreed... the Golden Oak Watco oil and beeswax it is. Always best to test the finish on a piece of cutoff to insure you will like the results.

02 test board.jpg (151.92 KiB) Viewed 4611 times

Before I tape off the ends, I wanted to test fit the glass, in case I needed to deepen/widen the glass dado. I get the glass and remove it from the protective cardboard.

03 the glass.jpg (160.96 KiB) Viewed 4611 times

In the picture you can see how I have clamped the top and side pieces to the work table to form a corner and have the second side ready. The dado we are using is the lower dado, 1/4" off the table and the cardboard is padding the table. I am trying my best to reduce any strain or chance of damaging or stressing the glass.
Then, as I was inserting it in that lower dado in the layout.... BOOM...

04 boom.jpg (165.22 KiB) Viewed 4611 times

I have the new plexi now and can test the layout, and get started on the finish and assembly while Tina does her thing when her thread comes in. I think it's due in today.
I can't wait to see the finished project. The contents are impressive too. A little league uniform worn for an entire season in 1963. The owner told me he remembers the year because it was the same year we lost JFK...

[markiver54]

Lookn' good Jim. I think the plexi is a good idea!!

[BrokenolMarine]

Got back into the shop this morning and back to the place where the BOOM occurred yesterday. Or... was it the day before.
Getting old is NOT for sissies.

I set up the corner again, using the clamps and the two work tables. The oak topped table is GREAT as it's height adjustable. Miss T and I both have one in our shops, and the next time HD puts them on sale we will pick up another pair. She wants to use hers for a cutting table and I want one for an outfeed table for the table saw. They have them with or without drawers, and we'll decide which when we see the sale prices. Where was I? Oh yeah, ... setting up the test.

01 testing fit.jpg (161.32 KiB) Viewed 4602 times

Once I got the three sides one, the width was fine, but the length was just a bit off. I marked that....

02 overlength marked.jpg (111.63 KiB) Viewed 4602 times

and set about prepping the Plexi for a cut. If it had been glass, I would have set up the table saw, and cut the top and bottom frame piece dados a bit deeper to absorb the extra length, but... it's plexi. I can cut that. It just takes CAREFUL cuts.

I marked the glass with a permanent marker, then added an extra layer of protection to the sheet with painters tape. Wouldn't want to scratch the glass below the jigsaw.

03 prepped to cut.jpg (123.17 KiB) Viewed 4602 times

Some folks will make the cut with the bandsaw, but on larger sheets it's too easy to let the sheet bind and CRACK, you are out another $40. I prefer this route. I placed a piece of luane under the edge of the plexi, then clamped it firmly to the table. If it shifts and the moving jigsaw blade binds. CRACK... you are out another $40. Seeing a theme here? I got out the jigsaw and set that up.

04 jigsaw.jpg (137.69 KiB) Viewed 4602 times

I chose a medium fine blade with room to clear the debris, and turned the saw down to the lowest speed... plus I was EASY on the trigger as well. Cutting too fast MELTS the plastic rather than just cutting it and the melted plastic recools in nasty rolled edges. Cleaning them up sometimes causes the plexi to CRACK... and .... well, you know.

I puckered up, and made the cut, following the line of the tape, and keeping pressure on the saw, but not too much. I cut steadily, but NOT too fast. Don't want to melt, I let the blade do the work. In the end, I got a nice clean cut.

05 cut is done.jpg (124.86 KiB) Viewed 4602 times

Time to work the frame.

[BrokenolMarine]

The first step was to tape off the joints. You want to keep any and all solvents off the joints so that you will get a good glue up when the time comes. I use painters tape and cut an oversized piece, then rub the edges and trim them with an exacto knife.

06 joint protectection.jpg (104.41 KiB) Viewed 4601 times

You may get some bleed around the edges but the bulk of the area will stay free of stain or (if you are using it, varnish,) and you can count on a sollid connection between your joints. I took my time and protected all eight ends.

07 all taped.jpg (125.89 KiB) Viewed 4601 times

Next I gloved up and coated all four frame pieces with two coats of Golden Oak Watco and set them to drying. The pale area on the frame pieces is actually a reflection of the overhead LED "Daylight" lights. Those pups are bright. In the back panel pic below you can see the colors are even.

08 watco oil.jpg (131.7 KiB) Viewed 4601 times

The last item for today was the back panel. The "show" side got two generous coats of oil, while the inside got a single coat of watco. It won't ever be seen, unless the owner pulls the center panel to rework the display, but watco penetrates and protects the wood, reduces the chance of cracking from drying out. So, a coat to the inside of the back panel as well. With this hanging on the wall, no one will see that I stained and waxed the back... but I'll know.

09 back panel.jpg (197.35 KiB) Viewed 4601 times

tomorrow... I will start the assembly. Miss T should be getting the thread for the monogram work she plans tomorrow as well. We are getting close.

[BrokenolMarine]

The last couple times in the shop I didn't take a lot of pics, I was tired and of course once I forgot the phone and it was raining cats and dogs. I didn't feel like a good soaking going back in thru the rain to recover the phone. The good news is... Miss Tina finished the background, and that mid-panel and her foam panel fit like they were made for the frame. Oh, Wait... they were.koo

10 perfect fit mod.jpg (170.83 KiB) Viewed 4370 times

The real problem is that the plexiglass, should be called FLEXI-glass. It is a pain in the butt to get into place because it won't stay flat, but sags, as you try and slide it into position.
I'm thinking when the frame is glued and secure and can be stood on the bottom edge the Plexi will stay rigid enough to line up properly, but to insure a proper "stress/pressure free" fit, I ran the frame parts across the table saw again cutting another 1/32" of depth and width into the glass channel. This should insure that the glass is not bowing due to pressure from the frame.

The next issue was the foam backed mounting for the uniform. Miss T's original idea was to glue that foam to the mid-panel. Mine was to attach it to the mid-panel with dime size bronze upholstery tacks. They would add a nice touch to the display and would hold it. Then we both came up with the same idea, separately. Trim Molding would hold it in position and also allow it to be removed and replaced if need be. Tina suggested rope molding, which would look awesome. Noone local carried it... so quarter round it was. I carefully cut the molding to fit, and attached it to the frame sections and stained it.

11 retention trim.jpg (108.97 KiB) Viewed 4552 times

The frame will now move into final assembly. Wish me luck...

[BrokenolMarine]

An Apology is in order, it has been a while since I last posted on the project, BUT...
It was a while since we had internet. We had to cancel the crappy ViaSat service and the contracted HughesNet service was delayed a few days by the snowstorms.
We were down for a week or so. We are back up.

I finally got the project done, and the Neighbor was thrilled with the outcome.

finally finished mod.jpg (175.47 KiB) Viewed 4369 times

He admired it from every angle, I explained how to remove the top of the frame if he ever wanted to add/remove anything from the display or needed to clean the inside of the glass or the display for any reason. Then, since I had it, we packed the completed project in one of the boxes from the Work Benches that were filled with styrofoam to pad the thing until his son comes back to town around Christmas and he can deliver it. I'd hate to see it damaged in transit.

Next projects to be considered... ?

A knife or three
A milking stool for Miss Tina
Another custom cane for me... made using the spoke shaves ... no lathe Takes longer, but the result is the same.
Perhaps a few more cutting boards.

Something, but after the holidays.

[markiver54]

That came out beautiful Jim!
I know he will be very proud of it! You do excellent work. Thanks for sharing this project.

[BrokenolMarine]

Tina laughed and said she doubted SHE would have displayed those "nasty" baseball pants, or at least hidden "most of them" under the uniform shirt....

But, you give the customer what they want. She and #5 played around with various layouts for some time before she hit one that clicked. She didn't mind...
He is a nice fella.

[markiver54]

When Ya think about it, the pants are more important than the shirt!
Besides, those dirty pants provide character.☺