Another Paul Sellers Workbench... With A Twist

[MattRoberts]

I'm guessing your edges are no longer at right angles to the top and bottom faces - you've effectively got a slight parallelogram. If you plane the left edge (at the top, where it meets the top face) it should come back into square. You can then check the opposite edge is parallel

 

[El Barto]

Thanks Matt! I will give that a try. Out of curiosity though why would that have happened if I haven't touched the edges?

 

[John15]

It's difficult to see what the error is but you may be worrying over nothing.

John

 

[El Barto]

It's difficult to see what the error is but you may be worrying over nothing.

John

Hi John, you're right the photo doesn't give much in the way of an explanation. Here's a video of what the problem is. As you can see it looks quite a bit out of square, but the surface has been planed to the same gauge line on both sides and the edge is square (though I've yet to check to see whether MattRoberts was right about the edge not being at a right angle).

https://vimeo.com/197834272/a549141439

 

[thetyreman]

to me it looks like either the edge is not square to the face, or your face isn't flat, another way of checking to flatness is to take your plane and lay it sideways across the face, use the corner as a straight edge, is there any light that passes through? you can also use the other edge of your square to check this, with it upside down, if you can rock it and there's a gap then it's not flat yet, in fact this was my main method for checking it, when making the aprons, I hope that helps.

 

[Racers]

It will be easer to plane the edge square with the top than plane the top square to the edge.

Its most likely the wood has shrunk of wasn't square in the first place.


Pete

 

[El Barto]

Thanks for the replies guys. I've got a couple of days off to work on it some more so will undoubtedly be back with more questions.

Incidentally, when planing things flat, what are the kind of tolerances to aim for, is there a general rule of thumb or is it just when it looks flat on the square?

I guess that is a bit of a loaded question but I'd rather get into the habit now of aiming for acceptable flatness.

 

[El Barto]

Another lil update. After a lot of planing I now have one square, flat and twist free apron. MattRoberts, you were right, the edge was very slightly out of square, a tiny amount actually but it really made a difference. So thank you for the suggestion and for everyone else's input. I'm really chuffed to be honest; I was quite intimidated by the prospect of these large aprons and that the integrity of this piece of wood was solely my responsibility and I've gotta say, I definitely thought a few times that I wasn't up to the task of getting it right. But F that! I'm very glad I kept at it. Undoubtedly I'll find some flaws but for the moment at least it's in good shape.

Had to get this makeshift bench sturdier somehow (couldn't get it over to the wall). This worked surprisingly well. I share this space with my girlfriend who is a ceramicist (or was before I took over :twisted: ). She is very messy, so couple that with the mess I'm making and I'm ridden with mess driven anxiety.

Ready for tomorrow:

 

[Bodgers]

For me, the biggest productivity killer is mess.

It demotivates you getting into the workshop, and whilst you are in there you spend too long looking for stuff. Not to mention the safety aspect...

Definitely worth thinking about. I'm getting better at it, but it has taken a while to come to realisation that time invested clearing up whilst you go, is time well spent.

 

[MattRoberts]

Glad you fixed it up - nice one

 

[thetyreman]

that's the spirit el barto! looks really good, in no time you'll be gluing the bench together, it's really not as far away as you might think before you'll be using it.

 

[El Barto]

For me, the biggest productivity killer is mess.

It demotivates you getting into the workshop, and whilst you are in there you spend too long looking for stuff. Not to mention the safety aspect...

Definitely worth thinking about. I'm getting better at it, but it has taken a while to come to realisation that time invested clearing up whilst you go, is time well spent.

Completely agree with you, especially the demotivation element. I do try and tidy as I go but sometimes it just gets away from you. I'm not sure why I've been so lax on this, I think it's because we're moving soon and so the overall giving a sh*t has gone out the window. At least that's what Im attributing it to... :twisted:

 

[El Barto]

Just a small update today. Both aprons and the bench top are now ready to be cut to length and then have the housing dadoes cut. Feels good to have got to this point with the bulk of the planing out of the way.

I've gotta say, thank god I got a 5 1/2 plane - it would have been a lot harder using a No. 4 like Paul Sellers suggests. At the beginning of his video tutorial he says that he will be using a no. 4 as that's what the majority of the viewers will be using/it can all be done on a No. 4. I don't believe that's practical advice, in fact it may even be detrimental when you consider the pitfalls of a smaller plane on large surfaces coupled with the inevitable mistakes of a beginner - the extra length of a 5 or 5 1/2 is going to benefit a complete novice like me (and it did). Paul, if you're reading this: I think you're brilliant but enough with the no. 4 for beginners already. (hammer) :twisted:

Thanks for reading.

 

[John15]

Don't dismiss PS's advice out of hand. Most of what he teaches is spot on.

John

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mostly. I find the advice on the No.4 questionable, though.

 

[El Barto]

Don't dismiss PS's advice out of hand. Most of what he teaches is spot on.

John

I wasn't at all. He's been and continues to be an invaluable resource. The issue of the No. 4 is merely my opinion as his target audience.

 

[MrTeroo]

Paul, if you're reading this: I think you're brilliant but enough with the no. 4 for beginners already. (hammer) :twisted:

I doubt he will be, it's his birthday today. He'll be out on the lash I expect.

 

[Wizard9999]

Just catching up with progress after the holidays, great progress! I am also a naturally messy worker and regularly do a big tidy up only for the mess to creep up on me again. But how can that lovely big pile of shavings be demotivating?

Terry.

 

[El Barto]

Just catching up with progress after the holidays, great progress! I am also a naturally messy worker and regularly do a big tidy up only for the mess to creep up on me again. But how can that lovely big pile of shavings be demotivating?

Terry.

Thanks Terry! Those shavings were looking pretty comfortable after a while...

 

[iNewbie]

Mostly. I find the advice on the No.4 questionable, though.

He does have/use Jointers - a fav being the Veritas. You can read his musings, here: https://paulsellers.com/2013/07/15446/