Small tasks with big impact ANYONE can do (2020 Oct)

  • Photograph all the jigs for the table saw and bandsaw, and write them and their locations down in a document. Others can help describe what they are, or if you already know then write that down too.
    • Print signs to go by the machines telling where the jigs are located
  • Prepare a member survey with questions you think of and that we can propose, make a surveymonkey or google form or whatever, advertise it and report on the results.
  • Fix the Member Handbook parking map to be Color-blind friendly.
  • Clean and organize the shop vacs, and let us know places where eg brushes or pans should be placed.
  • Write down the breaker box each machine goes to, and photograph the breaker box switches.
  • Laserprint signs for the planer and sander that say “Turn Blower On First” (there are way more important tasks, but if you prefer, instead commit to the full project of making them auto-switch)
  • Read the manual for a machine and let us know what the maintenance tasks and safety checks are that should be done on each use / once a month / once a year.
  • Replace the work surfaces on two work tables (We’ll coordinate getting you the materials.)
  • Refinish the surface of the artisan woodshop table
  • Make a removable MDF cover for the artisan table so that it can be used as a work table or converted to a bench-dog table.

As always, please commit to the timeline that suits your schedule, and communicate if that schedule isn’t achievable or you need help.

5 Likes

I’d be into doing some work to refinish and improve the sjobergs table, especially since I’ve been using it so heavily.

Besides refinishing the top (not sure what you had in mind, but I was thinking it could use some planing and some coats of a drying oil), It would be great to fix the top to the base (it tends to slide around under pressure), chop all the dogholes all the way through (sawdust and shavings collect in the bottoms and make it impossible to get the dogs all the way in), and add on a single-screw clamp to the front (I know from the position of the allen key used to adjust the set screws on the chain that there’s at least one other person besides me using it who is frustrated by the current vise).

It also could really use some lighting. And there’s a bunch of scrap(?) in the shelves below, which is space that could otherwise be used for a shooting board or other jigs. Can it be moved with the rest of the scrapwood?

I need to finish my current project before I can commit time to this, but that’ll hopefully be just another week, two at most.

4 Likes

A pet project of mine was to make some large wood threaded screws. I was going to make a wood vice. I have one box that will cut one and 1 1/2” threads. I was going to make a moxon vice but figured I could make many other vices As well. I thought we could use some on some of the other tables as well. I was going to turn some pieces of maple Two 1 1/2 inches, leaving the end square to attach handles. After being turned, the wood needs to be soaked in mineral oil to prep it for cutting the threads. If you’re interested, I would welcome some help. I don’t know if you considered wood threads. It just seems like a good handcrafted solution for me. I have a mini lathe that I think it’s too small to turn the blanks. I have not yet signed off on the shop lathe, as we have not had a class since I’ve been a member. If you’re interested in teaming up for the project, let me know. If you’d rather have a manufactured vice, I understand.

2 Likes

I would love to make them auto switch. I thought the Ivac system is probably the best solution. I know they are working on The ivac for the tablesaw and compound miter saw. If we are budget limited that’s a more important project. If not I would be willing to set up a second system for the planer, sander, router and possibly jointer. I’ve been thinking a lot about what Danny said about hard plumbing it. I would like to see the delta collector against the wall with overhead hard plumbing. I would get the flex hoses off of the ground. I’m assuming we don’t have extra IVAC parts or they would’ve been used on the tables saw. I thought I heard we had some extra components. I have volunteered for numerous other projects, but I feel this is very important. Just give me the go ahead and I’ll do it. If I do I would like to touch base with Joe, Danny, Eric and anyone else who has already been working on these projects. I really want to get our dust situation under control. I would also like to make a sanding station, either portable or fixed, for the people doing hand sanding on the work tables. I think this is a source for a lot of the fine dust in the air. I think this is the dangerous stuff. Especially since I’ve seen a lot of spalted Woods being used. The fungus is in these woods Are a health hazard. Also many of the exotic woods are directly toxic to the lungs and skin. Many of them are allergens as well. I think the dust from these should be properly collected and not aerosolized.

1 Like

@Fmartin cutting wood screws sounds like a lovely and aesthetic addition. I’d definitely be into that.

As of right now with my work schedule it looks like it’s going to be until after Thanksgiving before I have time (I work in an ecommerce-adjacent field and black friday is always a stressful time for us).

Woodcraft has a Beginner Lathe class on December 4, I might sign up for that. I think I remember someone at ATXHS saying that this class would allow you to use the shop lathe.

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Maybe we could get someone to teach one at Hackerspace if there’s interest

Fred R. Martin, M.D.

Hey! Yes, we are trying to get a wood lathe class going at the hackerspace, and we are pretty close to releasing that, hoping it will cover some similar topics as the beginner class at Woodcraft. With that said, it will only cover the wood lathe, not the machining lathe, and I think the machining lathe is the one you would need to cut threads in wood. Or were you thinking more along the lines of using the wood lathe to get closer to the right dimension and then using a tap type device to put the threads in?

If the latter is all you need to do, I can put together a quick session for a couple folks to show you how to do that on the Laguna lathe at the hackerspace.

I have owned a small wood lathe for over 20 years. I have not used a larger Woodlathe. I need to turn 1 1/2 in. Square maple to 1 1/2 inch round maple to 1 1/2 inch round and then run a box type cutter over to cut the threads. Metal lathe would be inappropriate For this use. I just wanted to follow the rules and hacker space through the safety Training on this piece of equipment. It’s probably overkill, but I figure you can always learn something. The reason for soaking it in oil is to minimize the tear out. It’s kind of an experiment. I have smaller cutters as well for smaller threads. I just thought the wooden threads would give an earthy Feeling to a vice or a clamp

Fred R. Martin, M.D.

Ah, that sounds awesome, I would definitely appreciate the aesthetic of a wood screw vice. Interested to see how that thread cutter works.

And yeah, since you’ve used a lathe a bunch, we can get together and run through a super quick safety session for the Laguna. The classes would only be required for those that are true beginners and / or looking to learn something new.

I’ll send you a DM so we can set up some time to meet.

Great! I’m on my way to Hackerspace now to take the tool sharpening class from Joe.

Fred R. Martin, M.D.