Getting started….
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Yesterday I completed the foot stool for the Mrs. Used Cherry for the top and Ash for the legs.
Then I got started on the Joiner’s box.
There are a lot of parts to this. I have everything but the Skirt/Trim cut out. Got the attached parts milled to size…..
Having come from a Toolmaker background, I find I fuss over the final dimensions. What tolerances should I be shooting for?
The stool looks really nice. Love the cherry.
Tolerances? Not really sure what you’re asking here. Remember, when Paul puts a project together he often takes knife-lines right from the project rather than cutting a piece to a specific dimension. And if he’s got several of the same piece, he marks them together rather than try to duplicate his markings on each piece. Accuracy doesn’t seem to come from actual dimensions, but by his methods.
Matt, Northern California - Started a blog in 2016: http://tinyshopww.blogspot.com/
Oyyyyyy….hope I’m not recutting a bunch of parts…as for tolerances, if I have a part that ends up being 3″ wide…I try to hit that mark…using vernier calipers…+ or minus .005 of an inch….I’m sure the moisture in wood will move it that much…just used to working in metal I guess
Taking a break from pushing the plane. I got to thinking about a question I have had. I noticed on the box that Paul disassembled for this project, a couple of recesses for lack of a better term. I found the same thing in the lid of a toolbox I bought in Maine a few months ago. Curious if anyone can explain what they are/were used for. They appear to be filled-in in both examples.
I have no idea what those recesses would be there for.
As far as your question about tolerances, Matt said some good things about it, so I’ll just be adding to what he said. I come from a drafting background where I was taught to strive for perfection the first time because mistakes waste time and make the drawing ugly. (I started out on a drafting board, not CAD) When I first got back into woodworking, I tried to bring that philosophy into it, as well, but kept finding all kinds of mistakes in the finished product. The tolerances in woodworking aren’t quite as tight as metalworking. It wasn’t until I learned from Paul that you measure from the parts, not the plan. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it’s easier to cut wood than to add wood. So, if I want a board that’s 3 inches, I’ll cut it at 3 1/16 inch, so I can plane it down later to fit the other parts exactly before glue-up.
I hope this answered your question a little better 🙂
Thanks George, it makes sense.
I heard that those holes may have been used for a square, but doubt that is correct. Why have a box to protect tools then stick a very important one outside of the box….
My neighbor told me his father worked out of a pine tool box like these most of his working life. He said there was the blade of a square protruding out the top of the lid.
On a sidenote…managed to get the first corner of dovetails cut…I still need to do some minor adjusting, they are fairly tight and not seating to the bottom. Overall quite happy with the outcome…glad they didn’t split.
Man, that’s a lot of dovetails. The cuts look straight. Like you said – be careful when putting them together that you don’t get a split. Can’t wait to see this further along.
Matt, Northern California - Started a blog in 2016: http://tinyshopww.blogspot.com/
Made good progress this weekend…
glue up needed to be faster…or I should have had a smidge more depth..all in all looks ok for first time doing a box this big…the skirt on the other hand has 3 out of 4 corners with nice and tight dovetails….Great progress, Troop. Your sawing and layout lines show nice agreement.
Matt, Northern California - Started a blog in 2016: http://tinyshopww.blogspot.com/
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