Base Milling

 Before I can even start working on joinery for the feet, I have to do some milling.

The chalk indicates which surfaces are "reference surfaces", meaning that when I go to mark out joinery, I always reference my square or other layout tool off these surfaces.  The face and the edge reference surfaces are perfectly square to each other.

Using the reference edge on the bandsaw fence, all of the parts are ripped to the same width.

Happiness Revisited

I feel the most happy and contented when I have just completed something well that is very challenging, whether mentally, physically, or both.  This article on flow reminded me of something that my dad once told me; that nothing worthwhile gets completed in a 9-5 job.  Although this may sound like an insult to anyone who works from 9-5, it is not.  What he meant, and what this article explains, is that success is a "unintended side-effect of one's personal dedication."   That success and happiness are both things that come from stretching our bodies and/or minds to do things that we are passionate about.  In my project I am currently towards the lower part of the "flow channel."  right now the work I am doing is fairly repetitive, but is a necessary part of my project.  Soon however I will move upwards towards the more challenging region as I must begin working on some techniques that are very new to me, such as bridle joints.

Central Column Glue-up

Before gluing up the column, I had to make sure that the sliding action was as smooth as possible.  With the narrow sides clamped in place, I traced the width of the post onto each side.

Using my bandsaw and jointer plane, I cut and planed the sides to exactly the needed width.

While testing the fit of the post, I aimed for a fit that was fairly snug, as I will later plane the post carefully to make a perfect fit.  To begin the glue-up of the column, I begin with gluing one piece on, and wiping away all the glue squeeze-out with a wet rag.

After that was dry, I glued the other side on, using the post as reference, making sure to wipe away any glue squeeze out.

After that was dry I glued on the last piece, making sure to use glue sparingly, as any squeeze out would be essentially impossible to remove.

After all the glue was set, I planed the outside.  Not all the joints turned out perfect, but they are passable, after all I knew that this would be the hardest part of the project.  Now onto the base.

Central Post

The main component of the adjustment mechanism is the the central post that slides within the outer column.  To get to the thickness needed, I glued up two .75" thick pieces to make a 1.5" square piece.

For the mechanism to be smooth, it is essential to make sure all components are square and consistent thickness, without any twist.  Using a square and calipers I made sure the central post is very square and has less than 1/64" change in thickness along its length.  The outer column is made of four pieces glued up, so all of those components must be very square and flat as well.

Here is a mock-up of how the sliding mechanism will work:

Testing the squareness and fit for the outer column:

Stand Glue-up

The main focal point of this project is the stand, the part where the music sits.  It is also the largest surface, and I chose the most interesting boards for it.  First I joint the edges, and then glue them together.

Done properly this kind of joint is stronger than the wood itself.



After the glue is cured, I planed the face to clean up mill marks and to flatten it.

Planing reveals some gum pockets:

More on Steamed Walnut

A sample of how un-steamed walnut looks vs. steamed, left to right respectively:

Planing

After the rough milling, the final step to prepare the wood for joinery is planing all six surfaces.  This involves making sure all the edges are square and straight, while at the same time the boards must be planed to the exact width and length needed.  Although the boards have already been milled, stress from the drying process causes them to warp, so by the time I use them, they are not flat anymore.  To do this I start with my jointer plane, the longest plane I own.  The length allows me to flatten the boards, as the bottom rides across the valleys much like how a large ship is better in rough water than a shorter boat.  With all the faces squared up, I move on to my smooth plane, which I use to smooth all the surfaces, and make sure they are tear-out free.  This is a long process, even with this size of a project.  If I was woodworking professionally, I would have to buy an electric planer and jointer which would serve the same purpose, but would allow me to work much faster.  Although hand planing is the traditional method, it is very inefficient, and time is money.

 This board is bowed:

IC Journal "Comfort Zone"

I class we listened to an essay about stepping outside your comfort zone in order to expand your horizons.  I agree with this attitude, and after hearing this I immediately thought of my experiences running.  When I was racing I always tried to push my comfort zone, so I wouldn't settle in to a slower pace.  For my project I need to try to push out side my comfort zone, which is when I work at a slower, more comfortable pace.  This will allow me to not only get lots of work done, but it will also allow me to learn how to work quickly and more efficiently.

Steamed Walnut

The walnut I am working with is steamed walnut, which means that it has been steamed to darken the sapwood to make it the same color as the heartwood. This is because the sapwood is considered a defect so after the steaming the entire board is considered a defect-less piece (unless there are knots or other conventional defects), and the board can be sold at a higher rate. The cost of this is considerable however, as the heartwood that before had many complex colors and variations is turned a gray-brown color. For this reason most furniture makers prefer unsteamed walnut. While I was aware of the costs and benefits of steamed walnut I didn't know much more than that. After doing a little searching I found a site that offers advice on how steamed walnut's color can be invigorated. While I will probably will not do everything they suggest, I do plan on doing some expirementation on how to get the best color out of the wood I am using. I also learned that walnut naturally lightens with age as opposed to other woods that naturally darken with age, including cherry (my primary project for this project).

Put the life back in steamed walnut