My first project from my milled wood!!!

[parrisw]

Here is my first project that I have built with the wood that I have milled. Its a Adirondack chair. As you can see by the pics, it folds up to for easy storage.

Enjoy


Parris,

Looks great!
Is that yellow pine wood?

jerry-

Nope. Western red cedar!!

 

[parrisw]

You can do it, but you would have to use two bits - a pattern bit to copy the template (bearing is on the top of the cutter) and then use a flush trim bit (bearing on the bottom of the cutter) to finish from the other side of the work piece. I'd have to check the length on mine but I think they are both 1 1/2" bits - 1/2" shank. Go to Island Saw over on Bridge St. - they usually have a good selection of stuff...sometimes pricey but would give you an idea of what you need and then shop around.

Check out Lee Valley too:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30166&cat=1,46168,46171&ap=1

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30165&cat=1,46168,46171&ap=1


I forgot to add as well .....if you haven't had this experience template routing - watch for tear out when routing across the end grain as that bit will sometimes chew huge chunks out of your work piece like there is no tomorrow. On occasion it may even rip the piece out of your hand and through it across the shop. If you climb cut you can lessen the tear out but then you are feeding the piece opposite to what you would normalcy do. I'll post some pictures if I can find them of what happens when you lose the work piece across the shop. RPM

Thanks for the tips!! Do you live locally here?? Wondering since you know about Island Saw. I've been there many times.

 

[parrisw]

Oh, and thanks for the positive words guys!!

 

[wdanforth]

Very nice!

Wish I had your skills.

 

[parrisw]

Very nice!

Wish I had your skills.

Thanks.

Just experience I guess, It's just a hobby for me. I used to love woodworking, and I haven't done it in years, so I wanted to start again, just had to start collecting the tools to do so.

 

[Zodiac45]

Thanks.

Just experience I guess, It's just a hobby for me. I used to love woodworking, and I haven't done it in years, so I wanted to start again, just had to start collecting the tools to do so.

Same here Parris,

I learned woodworking in shop class during my high school years (early 70's) and make some items that I actually still have as does my Mum. After that I always wanted too do get back too it but never seemed too have the time (or tools). Your chair makes we want too have a go with some eastern white cedar I milled. Always liked that design. My Pops is now unable too use his shop tools anymore so I may luck out and get some good tools given too me. No more excuses for me!

 

[woodshop]

...I forgot to add as well .....if you haven't had this experience template routing - watch for tear out when routing across the end grain as that bit will sometimes chew huge chunks out of your work piece like there is no tomorrow. On occasion it may even rip the piece out of your hand and through it across the shop. If you climb cut you can lessen the tear out but then you are feeding the piece opposite to what you would normalcy do.

My experience with template routing has taught me a couple things... you need a good quality bit as the better bits are balanced dead on and thus are less prone to vibrate ever so slightly and catch the wood and dig in. For that same reason when template routing your bit needs to be super sharp so it slices instead of hacks (which then can catch the wood). I definitely notice a difference between the standard economy grade carbide bits and the (usually around 50% more expensive) better bits like the Katana brand from MLCS. The better bits are made of finer grade carbide and thus they are sharper and stay sharper longer. If you look at the cutting edge of one with a 10x lens, you can actually see that it is finer grade and has a sharper edge. This is one of those places where you kinda do get what you pay for. I say kinda because I've seen brands like some of the Bosch bits that although are pricier than the catalog economy bits, are the same bit, same grade of cheaper carbide. You pay for the Bosch name but don't necessarily get a bit that is as good as other higher end bits like Katana. At any rate, although higher end router bits do cost more initially, since they last longer and perform better with cleaner cuts and less burning, I think they are cheaper in the long run. Then for only $15 I send them to Forrest and have them professionally resharpened and they are good to go again.

Another way to keep that bit from grabbing the wood is to use a solid carbide spiral flush trim bit like this one...

Pricey, the half inch one I'm showing here which will cut up to 1 1/4 height runs around $60-70. But they last a long time and since they are shearing the wood in a spiral fashion they don't catch as easily going across the grain like a standard trim router template bit does. Downside is they do take a little more force to run the wood past them, but not a big deal. I run a lot of 1 1/8 inch thick oak and cherry making the handles of bread boards on a jig in the router table using this bit with very good results.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread, you make a beautiful folding chair as I said earlier, but thought I'd share my experience with router bits and grabbing wood since it was brought up.

 

[parrisw]

Same here Parris,

I learned woodworking in shop class during my high school years (early 70's) and make some items that I actually still have as does my Mum. After that I always wanted too do get back too it but never seemed too have the time (or tools). Your chair makes we want too have a go with some eastern white cedar I milled. Always liked that design. My Pops is now unable too use his shop tools anymore so I may luck out and get some good tools given too me. No more excuses for me!

Ya, I did it all through high school as well. Except I was in high school in the 90's not 70's, ha ha ha.

I actually won some school awards for woodworking in High School.

 

[parrisw]

My experience with template routing has taught me a couple things... you need a good quality bit as the better bits are balanced dead on and thus are less prone to vibrate ever so slightly and catch the wood and dig in. For that same reason when template routing your bit needs to be super sharp so it slices instead of hacks (which then can catch the wood). I definitely notice a difference between the standard economy grade carbide bits and the (usually around 50% more expensive) better bits like the Katana brand from MLCS. The better bits are made of finer grade carbide and thus they are sharper and stay sharper longer. If you look at the cutting edge of one with a 10x lens, you can actually see that it is finer grade and has a sharper edge. This is one of those places where you kinda do get what you pay for. I say kinda because I've seen brands like some of the Bosch bits that although are pricier than the catalog economy bits, are the same bit, same grade of cheaper carbide. You pay for the Bosch name but don't necessarily get a bit that is as good as other higher end bits like Katana. At any rate, although higher end router bits do cost more initially, since they last longer and perform better with cleaner cuts and less burning, I think they are cheaper in the long run. Then for only $15 I send them to Forrest and have them professionally resharpened and they are good to go again.

Another way to keep that bit from grabbing the wood is to use a solid carbide spiral flush trim bit like this one...

Pricey, the half inch one I'm showing here which will cut up to 1 1/4 height runs around $60-70. But they last a long time and since they are shearing the wood in a spiral fashion they don't catch as easily going across the grain like a standard trim router template bit does. Downside is they do take a little more force to run the wood past them, but not a big deal. I run a lot of 1 1/8 inch thick oak and cherry making the handles of bread boards on a jig in the router table using this bit with very good results.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread, you make a beautiful folding chair as I said earlier, but thought I'd share my experience with router bits and grabbing wood since it was brought up.

Not a problem about hijack, I don't feel it is. Any good tips are very welcome around here.

Anyway, thanks for the tips!! I think I'll look for a bit like that.