Kitchen Cabinet Job #4: Strike a Pose…errr Arc.
Since the last update on this job, I have been working on the drawer fronts and doors. I decided to go with a simple frame and panel door with the [...]
Kitchen Cabinet Job #3
Just a quick update on the kitchen cabinet job I’ve been working on. I actually haven’t spent a lot of time on them lately. I took some time off during [...]
Kitchen Cabinet Job #2
It’s been about 2 weeks since I’ve posted anything, so here’s an update on my kitchen cabinet job. I have all the carcases built, stained and topcoated. They have been [...]
Kitchen Cabinet Job #1
So I finally got started on my grandmothers kitchen cabinets this week. We decided to go with pre-finished plywood skinned with 1/4 in oak ply and oak face frames. [...]
Blast Gate Improvement
It has been a year since I got started remodeling my shop. I haven’t exactly finished with what I had in mind, but then I think a guy’s shop is always under construction. I have completed the basics and have made some nice projects as well as continuing to make the improvements I set out to complete. With that said, there is one area I have completed that has been a little more than disappointing… Dust Collection.
My shop is fairly small and I really didn’t have the budget to buy some large cyclone and really go overboard with the collection. I purchased a fairly standard 2hp collector that should be plenty for my shop. I installed the collector in a small room in the corner of my shop and ran 4″ black hose through the wall to one of the trash can separator lids. Out of the lid, I ran 4″ hose about 18′ down the wall and put a Y at each machine with a plastic blast gate. Each machine is on wheels or a mobile base and is very easy to pull out for use.
This is where my disappointment comes in…These blast gates clog with wood chips in no time and render the collector almost useless. When the gates stop closing all the way due to the chips, the effectiveness of the collector is greatly reduced.
I did a little research (I wish I had done more research when I first bought all my equipment) and found these self-cleaning gates through Lee Valley.
The main problem with the plastic gates is that wood chips and sawdust get caught in the grooves which prevent the gate from sliding closed all the way. With the Lee Valley self-cleaning gates, the grooves or channels go all the way through the gate allowing chips to be cleared out as the gate closes. They also have a knob that you can tighten to lock down the gate to keep it in the open or closed position.
I have just installed these gates as of this morning, but so far I am thrilled with them. The increased performance of my system is more than noticeable, it is like I installed a new system.
The Lee Valley gates are steel and cast aluminum as well as about $7 higher than the plastic gates, but I think they will more than pay for themselves just in cleaning time and frustration.
The first photo below shows the old gates installed in the system. The second photo are the plastic gates after removal. This is as far as they could close due to the chips wedged in the gate channel. The last two photos are of the new gates installed in the system.
HVLP on the Cheap??
I mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago about picking up an HVLP turbine unit at Harbor Freight. I picked the unit up for somewhere around $65 (normally $89.99 but had a 20% off coupon and I think it was on sale on top of that) and as far as I can tell it is the exact same unit that Rockler sells for $120+. (**NOTE As I am typing this, I see that the Rockler unit is on sale for $89.99).
Now I am no expert on spray systems or even spraying for that matter, but I was looking to get into spraying and learn without making a big investment until I figure out what I am doing. I originally planned to buy the $340 Earlex Spray Station Pro and I probably still will, but I wanted to get my feet wet and make sure that was the direction I wanted to go before making more of a commitment. In my book $65 is a very reasonable cost to get started and if the unit wasn’t all that great, I wouldn’t have wasted a ton of money.
So this past weekend I finally put some finish through the thing. I was very pleasantly surprised. It came with 3 needles and tips (1.0mm, 1.5mm and 1.8mm) and after determining that the water based lacquer I was spraying needed the smaller needle set, I was on my way to spraying my test pieces.
I divided a board into two parts. On one side I applied water based grain filler followed by wb stain, a seal coat of shellac and then the lacquer finish. On the other side, I applied wb stain followed by grain filler, more wb stain a shellac seal coat and then the wb lacquer finish. I completed the extra stain step on one side because I wasn’t sure about the grain filler filling the pores and not allowing the stain to penetrate. The test piece turned out great and the gun sprayed flawlessly (to my untrained eye) as long as you cut down on the fluid control adjustment. I have posted some pictures of the unit along with the test board for reference.
I have sprayed another test piece in which I simply went with water based grain filler to water based stain and then straight to water based lacquer. It turned out great as well and will most likely be my preferred method for the finish job I have ahead of me.
I can only speak from my limited experience, but this unit was a joy to use and I will use it often. As I said previously, I will still probably buy the Earlex in the future mainly because of the stainless steel parts (compared to brass and plastic on the HF unit), but this unit might delay my purchase and allow me to focus funds toward other things like nicely figured wood for awhile. Overall I say if you are new to spray finishing, you can’t go wrong with this unit (or the Rockler unit for that matter).
New Image Gallery
I’m just getting back to working on the kitchen cabinet job after the holidays. I have worked on them a little here and there, but mostly been spending time with the family. I have finished the drawer boxes and all I have left besides the pantry is completing the drawer fronts and doors. I should have that done this week.
In the meantime, I have updated this site a little. Some of it is behind the scenes, but one thing I did add is an image gallery. It pretty much takes all the images from my posts and puts them on a gallery page according to what category they are in. I’ll probably make some more changes to that later on, but for now it’ll work.
Just hover over the link to the gallery page at the top and you’ll get a drop down menu for Projects, Shop Projects and Tools to take you to the appropriate gallery. They are in no particular order right now and that is probably what I will change eventually by making the grouping of projects more logical.
That’s about it for now…hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is having a good New Year so far. I’ll post some new pictures after I complete the cabinet job and before I get started on the entertainment center my wife is bugging me about 
Osborne Excalibur EB-3 Miter Guide
All I can say is WoW! I received this via FedEx after ordering from Woodcraft on Black Friday. I have been looking at it for about 3 months or so, but I finally pulled the trigger. I honestly don’t know what took me so long… I wish I had ordered it the moment I saw it. Compared to the other guides, it is very reasonably priced at $120.00. After putting it together, it was dead on right out of the box. I absolutely love the flip stop that extends out to 42 inches, the longest I have found. I really don’t have anything bad to say at all, but then I’ve only used it for 1 day so far…if something comes up, I’ll be sure to post an update. Back to making cabinets for now…
New Table Saw Rails / Installation
Well, I said I needed 7 ft rails for my table saw and now I’ve got ‘em…I didn’t want an extra day for the freight company to deliver them, so I called, scheduled a pickup and drove about an hour to get them. Once back home, I dismantled the old rails and began installing the new ones. It was pretty straightforward with the exception that I had to drill and tap two holes on the cast iron router table wing. I thought I would like the router table wing feature when I bought the saw, but I really didn’t like it at all. Hence the new router table I built last week. Anyway, the holes in the router wing were drilled for the standard rails, so I had to use the drill bit and tap (which they supply with the rail kit) to make new mounting points. All in all, not bad and I think I’m really going to like the (much) larger capacity I’ll get with these rails. Only thing left is to build a table to fit in the opening left on the end.
Outfeed Table
While I’m sitting here waiting on my 7 ft rails to come in for my table saw, I decided to go ahead and come up with some type of outfeed table today. I’m going to really need good outfeed support for the cabinet job I’m getting ready to start. The old workmates with home made rollers mounted to them are getting old…I did a little looking around and remembered an episode of The Wood Whisperer where he built a new outfeed table due to changing his rail/fence system. It looked like it would suit me well and would be quick to make. Out to the shop I went. I didn’t use the walnut veneer plywood like he had lying around…I just used plain old pine plywood, but I think it turned out well. It is sturdy and should provide a lot of service. It only took about 4 hours from start to finish and I can’t believe I haven’t made one before, but I guess it’s better late than never.
It looks like it will be Tuesday before my new rails arrive as well as the new Osborne Miter Gauge I ordered, so I think I’ll make a panel sled tomorrow and possibly get started on the cabinets by making the smaller stack that goes above the refrigerator. I’ll post some progress pics as I go along.
