WIP - Pyramid Project

[Random Orbital Bob]

When your son bounces in and announces he has to build an Egyptian style pyramid for his homework project and says: I thought we'd make it out of wood Daddy!!! Take a tip from me....the appropriate response is.....what a great idea son, but I think Mummy has it all in hand! Those blasted Egyptians certainly knew how to handle complex geometry and had access to a lot more labour than I do. Found one good thing about chipboard though....it sure looks like weathered desert stone blocks

 

[Richard T]

At last! A use for chip board! Good texture.

And you'll be able to keep your blades sharp in there too ....

 

[Grayo]

Blimey Bob that's a cracker well done. But isn't it young Bob in the picture who should have been building that lol.

 

[paulm]

Looks good Rob

Cheers, Paul

 

[Giff]

He'll get a double A star when he takes that to school ! Geoff

 

[Woodchips2]

That looks good Bob, well done to you both =D>

One query, how is he going to get it to school :roll: ?

Regards
Keith

 

[Grayo]

One query, how is he going to get it to school :roll: ?

Regards
Keith

Just like an Egyptian lol.............Sorry I'll get my coat.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Very funny gentlemen...just got in after a long day. Made me smile. The only reason little Bob couldn't do it all was because I used a pneumatic nailer rather than glue to try and speed it up. Much as I like little Bob to help me make things, I think elf n safety would have had kittens at the thought of that!

 

[Grayo]

Do you know what Bob, that picture of little Bob in the workshop reminded me of when I was a little lad of about the same age in my dad's workshop (he owned a building company) No such thing as a pneumatic nailer's or elf and safety in those days but common sense played a big part then. I think it's great that the youngsters can get involved in something like this and even better if their dad's have got workshops to get involved with.

 

[Baldhead]

That is a very nice build, as for complex geometry? I bet young Bob said, "daddy don't worry about that, I've got an App on my iPad" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously though, this could lead to a lot of work at young Bobs school, let's just hope it's for money!!!

Baldhead

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Do you know what Bob, that picture of little Bob in the workshop reminded me of when I was a little lad of about the same age in my dad's workshop (he owned a building company) No such thing as a pneumatic nailer's or elf and safety in those days but common sense played a big part then. I think it's great that the youngsters can get involved in something like this and even better if their dad's have got workshops to get involved with.

Agreed Gray. There's nothing like slapping glue around the place to bond with your son
My Dad made his own tablesaw cos no way could we afford one. I'll never forget it.....chipboard top salvaged from some loft flooring. Purchased blade of course. The frame was that metal stuff, never knew what it was called but I used to call it meccano for grown ups. It was riddled with screw holes and you got straight pieces, angle pieces etc. Really useful stuff. His workbench frame was made of the same stuff, you just bolted it through the pre-existing holes into whatever shape you wanted, exactly like meccano but on a larger scale.

The motor was salvaged out of a knackered washing machine I think and then I guess he rigged up some pulleys and bought the belts or nabbed them from the washer too. Fence was just a straight edge clamped. No guard, no riving knife, no extraction! He built all manner of amazing bits of furniture with that thing.....and it got him out the house where he could smoke in peace (which may have been the original purpose

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

That is a very nice build, as for complex geometry? I bet young Bob said, "daddy don't worry about that, I've got an App on my iPad" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously though, this could lead to a lot of work at young Bobs school, let's just hope it's for money!!!

Baldhead

well that's the funny thing and what led to the comment about complex geometry. I don't know if anyone else on the forum has ever tried building anything of pyramidal form but let me tell you its a right...... (insert appropriate fruit name here).

First intention was to just (I laugh at the word just with hindsight) build a dead square base and four equilateral triangles which I planned to compound mitre where they met on the upward edges so it formed a classic "Giza" style Egyptian job. I would then bevel the base sides so I could lay the sides and they would form a perfect apex with smooth sides showing no end grain (or hideous no grain in the case of chipboard). Boy did I under-estimate the angles. After faffing for hours with failed prototypes I ended up with the block idea and went from there.

Before giving up on compound mitres I found a web site that allows you to enter two of the dimensions and then it calculates all the other angles you need to set the chopsaw. I couldn't believe how different it was from what seemed intuitive to me and in the end time got the netter of me so we went with the blocks. The comment about an ipad app reminded me of that website I found....so you weren't far off the mark in fact

 

[Terry - Somerset]

There is a simpler design which requires only four triangles of white melamine faced chipboard as I understand that when originally built some of the pyramids were sheathed in marble (mostly now long gone). A bit late now for bright ideas I guess, although I admire the way your son completed his project !!

Terry

 

[n0legs]

The frame was that metal stuff, never knew what it was called but I used to call it meccano for grown ups. It was riddled with screw holes and you got straight pieces, angle pieces etc. Really useful stuff. His workbench frame was made of the same stuff, you just bolted it through the pre-existing holes into whatever shape you wanted, exactly like meccano but on a larger scale.

Dexion ?

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

That's the stuff. Wow seeing those pics takes me back

 

[Tony Spear]

That's the stuff. Wow seeing those pics takes me back

I once built a "dirty" bench out of that and a top of pretty thick softwood after Mum stopped me stripping motor cycle engines and gearboxes on the Kitchen table! Mind you, I used to wait until she was out before I could wash the famous "Gunk" off in the Kitchen sink.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

LOL...I'm sure that wouldn't do any harm to the drains

 

[Grayo]

funny you should mention your dad's work bench made of Dexion, that's just what mine is made out of lol topped with 3/4 ply I'll take a picture when I get up there and post it here.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I'd be interested to see that Grayo. I hadn't realised it was still available as I've not seen it used for a long time.

 

[Grayo]

Here you go Bob, Don't look at the mess it's like a tip at the moment lol.