What did you do in your shop today?

I worked on installing a door in my house to block off the basement stairs to the shops. I ordered a door a week ago that is a nice 9 pane glass door. I started today by removing the existing trim and discovered that there used to be a pocket door. Part of the track was just bent back and they sealed it up. So I had to re-frame the opening in 1 x 6 pine. So since this opening was never intended to have a swinging door in it nothing fits and everything is custom re work. So I had this nice new pre hung door that I had to take all apart and cut the jam down, cut 5/8" off the side of the door and re mortised the hinges in, cut 3/4' off the bottom of the door too. Now I think everything will fit. Glue is drying. No pics yet but I'll take some when I get it installed. Seems like it was a ton off work and it's still not in, lol. Guess that's why they call it wood working and not wood finishing, lol. But it was nice to be able to find my tools and work in my shop.
 
Yesterday I ran over to one of the lumber suppliers I used to like to use to pick up some 4/4 Brown Hard Maple to continue working on the furniture for my wife for the living room and a few other projects (About a 30 minute drive). Turns out they really don't care about the little guy any more at that location and if you want the highly figured stuff or to look through the odds and ands you have to go to the Albert Lea store which is way too far away. Googled lumber suppliers in SE MN and came up with one just outside of Rochester so called to make sure they would be willing to take my money and drove up there. Get there and he takes me out in the sheds and points out what they have to meet my requirements and lo and behold, a stack of 4/4 BHM with some really really wide stuff towards the bottom. I know they won't let you hand pick what you want but I asked the guy if I restacked it all could I have the bottom 6 layers of the pile. He says sure, gets me a cart and I go to work, 1000 BF of lumber restacked later and I'm down to the stuff I want, it's all 9 inch wide minimum and there are 8 boards over 14, and 2 at almost 20 wide!! And a couple pieces are Ambrosia Maple with lots of action going on. so 2.00/BF later I ended up buying about 175 BF plus a bunch of 8/4 for legs and whatnot and get it loaded in the van. Now you all know my shop isn't very big so today was spent ripping and rough cutting to length all the pieces for a whole bunch of projects.

There is a couch, a coffee table, two end tables, two benches, and two little tables for the showroom all ready to start final cutting and joinery. Trying to convince my wife I need a mortising machine now for the shop :sofa:

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Worked on Parkerizing a blade for a special order for a tactical blade. This is actually the fourth go round. The first was a complete failure.
The first attempt was in a pyrex dish over two propane torches. It blew up.
The second attempt was the same day in a disposable aluminum pan - failed to do my research and one side of the knife failed.
The third attempt was successful, but I found some details in the grind I wasn't happy with, thus the 4th attempt.

Right after the blade comes out of the acid and neutralized you need to coat it in oil. These pics are right after the oil is applied.
It will have a more uniform finish after drying for 24 hours. These pics are taken in the sun so you see a myriad of colors which are pretty cool. The overall appearance is a matte black finish.
The order is for a Jump Master at West Point. He wants an all black knife. The handle will be black G-10

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That blade is shaped very much like the Benchmade I have carried for many years, right down to the small serrated section. Now if I could only find the darn thing. PRetty good guess tells me my wife is carrying it... again.
 
I've been nuts busy here at the shop (Hence not too many posts lately). Today i turned 4 bases for some arches going on a back bar that a local cabinet maker is building to duplicate a bar built in the 1880's, 18 inches tall, 12 inches at the base tapering to 10 inches at the top. Nice thing is I didn't have to sand them finish smooth as the guy they are for is going to fill all the knots, sand them again and then veneer them. The only thing that sucked was he used some less than stellar lumber for the glue ups (I knew that in advance and since they are getting veneered I understand) so lots of tearout and splinters. I've also been working on about 100 pens for one of my good customers that have to be done by the end of the week and engraved and delivered. By next week things should be more mellow and just lots of inventory for shows to work on as I've got two fairly big shows coming up. One in Hudson, WI and then in about 3 weeks one in Kansas City.
 
I bought a new lathe and got it carried into the basement by myself, heavy mutha, I'm wupped. I aint as young as I used to be. Or as good as I used to was, lol.
 
gman2431 said:
Well what is it?!?!?!
Click to expand...
Sorry, lol. It's a laguna revo 18/36.
I started a new thread on it. Check the new post to see where it is, I'm on my phone at the moment.
 
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Yesterday I was working a little bit more on the standing desk I'm building for my office. Went to start cutting the pieces for the frames of the side panels after I started gluing up some thins for the inset panels.

Grabbed my last piece of 3/4" walnut that was long enough for the two long rails I need and started cutting. More crooked than a D.C. politician after cutting it - had a lot of internal stress. It was flat when I started, moved a ton while and after cutting...

Now I gotta find me a piece of walnut - just need one piece 3/4" thick, 5' long, 8" wide to get the three pieces I need out of it... Going to have to come up with something... Going to dig through the wood piles to make sure I didn't miss a piece that might work...

And, to top it all off, both my wife and I have caught one of the bugs that's started going around...
 
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Finally got the pens for one of my customers ready to box up today. I swear, this last week apparently Murphy is my newest employee....

79 Redwood Burl Mesas for them with their logo and 4 overrun pens that'll go into inventory (I turned a few extras in case of a whoopsie and they looked good so....) This is only for one department, finishing up a couple dozen for another department as well in different wood.

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My sinuses have been stuffed up between allergies and a head cold. Tonight this worked to my advantage. I worked with some DIW tonight and didn't smell a thing!
 
Yesterday was Bolt Action Day. Got 30 finished and started prep for today's .50 cal. turnings.

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