Single Day Project?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • twistsol
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2002
    • 2893
    • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
    • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

    Single Day Project?

    I'm getting two new son-in-laws this summer who have displayed apprehension / abject fear of the woodshop and I believe as the new father in law it is my duty to educate / torture them. I was thinking of having a man shower and doing a project in the shop with them, uncles, dads, etc. My first thought was a bookcase since we are all very booky people. I have ~5,000 in our house at last count.

    Any other ideas for a project that can be completed in a day by a group with varying skills that would also be useful for a newlywed couple living in apartments?
    Chr's
    __________
    An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
    A moral man does it.
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #2
    Heading you in a different direction: Pen turning is a two hour to 1 day project. Unfortunately, pen turning is initially addictive - and to your advantage will probably suck them in! BUT, beware of the long term cost - new lathe, many kinds of wood, resin casting, Plethora of costly Pen components/kits, sandpaper, finish material (many kinds) lathe tools (chisels), assembly and disassembly tools, . . . it doesn't end. The deception is that the layout cost of a single new pen is nearly negligible ($20 - $40), but over a month $200+. Then by the time that many people get almost everything they need (two to three years), they begin to loose interest! Just my observation on the pen turning forum.
    Last edited by leehljp; 03-24-2018, 10:22 AM.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

    Comment

    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      If you did a project such as book shelves you could do a fair amount of the monotonous/ho hum/ boring prep work. IE, rip most f the boards to width, mark all of your cuts, locate and cut most of the datos, dominos etc. That way you don’t loose them in the boring stuff. Give them just a taste of the boring work but not make them do it all. Not much different than when you are working with kids with short attention spans. This way you might could actually jam a 2 day project into 4 hours and get them hooked on how easy and quick woodworking really isn’t!

      Comment

      • atgcpaul
        Veteran Member
        • Aug 2003
        • 4055
        • Maryland
        • Grizzly 1023SLX

        #4
        Just remember that if you build a bookcase, you're going to have to help the couple move it when they buy their first house.

        If I were to build a bookcase for myself, I'd use whatever tools I had to do it the quickest and easiest way. However, I think for your SILs (with your intent to make future handymen for your daughters), I'd want to show them how to do it using tools you can get at a HD--saw horses, circular saw, measuring tape, and a chopsaw (or miter box with handsaw). Show them the picture of what you want to build. Show them a cut list. Show them how to lay out the cuts on a sheet of plywood (your SILs can lift a sheet of plywood by themselves, right ) so the boards have the grain running their length rather than across. Show them to use tape so they don't get tearout, etc. Glue on some precut wood to the front edge of the shelfs to prevent sagging. It's going to be something they will want to show off when they have guests. The result should not be, "I should have just gone to IKEA."

        I can't speak to your relationship with your SILs or your future inlaws but with two other dads and maybe even more uncles there, it is going to be torture for your SILs and possibly the dads. If their uncles are anything like mine, they will always be there to help but also to provide constant ribbing. It will turn into a competition. Bruised egos ahead. Are your daughters on board? My girls are about 20 years out from getting married so depending on how this works out for you, I might have to save this in my memory for later.

        Comment

        • capncarl
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2007
          • 3564
          • Leesburg Georgia USA
          • SawStop CTS

          #5
          You definitely don’t won’t to start off their woodworking with a large crowd of people in the shop. You have to be in control of what is going on. It almost needs to be a one on one with the SILs

          Comment

          • leehljp
            Just me
            • Dec 2002
            • 8429
            • Tunica, MS
            • BT3000/3100

            #6
            Here is a link to a couple of stools that I made that are the most handy things I have. ANY 30 minute to 3 - 4 hour project, I grab the stool that I need for that project first. I won't let anyone including LOML or my girls have these until I am gone.

            VERY Handy and light weight:
            This forum is the place to post photos of your completed projects. Please try to limit pictures to 540px wide or less so that is is viewable to all. Off-topic threads in this forum will periodically be purged so as to keep it "clean".
            Hank Lee

            Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

            Comment

            • organicot
              Forum Newbie
              • Feb 2018
              • 8

              #7
              Those are some rustic modern looking stools, definitely will try to build a nice pair. Your link has no details, if there is little more..be grateful.
              Love the OPs plan to torture SILs, getting 1 is an experience.. two together ..!

              Comment

              • LCHIEN
                Internet Fact Checker
                • Dec 2002
                • 20914
                • Katy, TX, USA.
                • BT3000 vintage 1999

                #8
                I would vote for one on one rather than a group. Also a bookcase is too big and probably more than a day. try a stool, useful in a home.
                Loring in Katy, TX USA
                If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                Comment

                • leehljp
                  Just me
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 8429
                  • Tunica, MS
                  • BT3000/3100

                  #9
                  Originally posted by organicot
                  Those are some rustic modern looking stools, definitely will try to build a nice pair. Your link has no details, if there is little more..be grateful.
                  Love the OPs plan to torture SILs, getting 1 is an experience.. two together ..!
                  Sorry, I didn't do any plans. I just had a picture in my mind and the only thing I wrote down was the angles I wanted. It took me a while to figure out that compound angles on two legs - required that the other two legs to have a corresponding reverse (or inverse) angle - or what ever. I could "visualize" it, but it took me a few minutes to figure out the corresponding reverse(?) angles on my miter sled.

                  Again, I can see in my mind what I want to do and start cutting until I get what I want. Sorry, No plans were made.
                  Hank Lee

                  Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                  Comment

                  • capncarl
                    Veteran Member
                    • Jan 2007
                    • 3564
                    • Leesburg Georgia USA
                    • SawStop CTS

                    #10
                    Lee.... are you talking about a 3 leg stool or a 4 leg stool. If it’s a 4 leg, it’s just a short square tiny table. I can help out with that. The angles of the aprons and legs should be in an earlier post I entered, describing how to build a Tiny Table. If it’s a 3 leg stool, you are right, the angles are a bear. I’ve made a few 3 leg tiny tables and may have the sketches in the shop, I’ll look.
                    capncarl

                    Comment

                    • leehljp
                      Just me
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 8429
                      • Tunica, MS
                      • BT3000/3100

                      #11
                      Originally posted by capncarl
                      Lee.... are you talking about a 3 leg stool or a 4 leg stool. If it’s a 4 leg, it’s just a short square tiny table. I can help out with that. The angles of the aprons and legs should be in an earlier post I entered, describing how to build a Tiny Table. If it’s a 3 leg stool, you are right, the angles are a bear. I’ve made a few 3 leg tiny tables and may have the sketches in the shop, I’ll look.
                      capncarl
                      I probably was reading the Organicot's post wrong. Organicot replied after my post and I was assuming he was asking about mine. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with which reply is to which post. Sorry about that.
                      Hank Lee

                      Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                      Comment

                      • Turaj
                        Veteran Member
                        • Dec 2002
                        • 1019
                        • Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
                        • BT3000 (1998)

                        #12
                        I am also with Loring. One on one, smaller project (less material and they can take it home).

                        When we did the interactive workshop during Canadian Home Workshop show, we did several projects that basically were done in about 1/2 hour (with lots of Jigs already made). Most popular were toolbox, wine carrying case, clocks (mantle or wall) and step stools. We also did several projects for kids (mostly cars and bird houses). Just to give you a few ideas!
                        Turaj (in Toronto)
                        "When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading!" Henny Youngman

                        Comment

                        • twistsol
                          Veteran Member
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 2893
                          • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
                          • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

                          #13
                          Alot of good ideas and advice. I think we'll go with a step stool since both my daughters are baredly over 5' tall. They all got their mom's height, or lack thereof.
                          Chr's
                          __________
                          An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
                          A moral man does it.

                          Comment

                          • leehljp
                            Just me
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 8429
                            • Tunica, MS
                            • BT3000/3100

                            #14
                            While there are many catching stool designs and some quite simple, to me there is nothing quite like compound angle legs. Even roughly made, they are stable (if properly braced) and the compound angles have an appealing look - to me. BUT they take some thinking through for the occasional woodworker.
                            Hank Lee

                            Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                            Comment

                            • Pappy
                              The Full Monte
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 10453
                              • San Marcos, TX, USA.
                              • BT3000 (x2)

                              #15
                              Originally posted by capncarl
                              You definitely don’t won’t to start off their woodworking with a large crowd of people in the shop. You have to be in control of what is going on. It almost needs to be a one on one with the SILs
                              Have some fun at their expense and start them off with a bird house. Preferably from precut parts!
                              Don, aka Pappy,

                              Wise men talk because they have something to say,
                              Fools because they have to say something.
                              Plato

                              Comment

                              Working...