Stand build off

[Maiden69]

You are right, the basic principle is the same and the joinery itself isn't the problem.
But how it is executed seems different? or the tools?

I've been looking at these violin planes, maybe they work better for the scale?

The only times I would think I need a violin plane would be to do a recurve or carved area, like on a violin or guitar carved top. Even then, as crude as it may sound I have used a grinder with a sanding flap disc to achieve the same results. If you plan on building something intricate then yes, the mini-curved planes will be fantastic to use. But I think I would rather thickness the materials to the dimensions I need and sand to finish. I made both this guitars without using a single plane. The little recurve at the end of the carve on both guitars was done with a wooden form wrapped with sand paper.

 

[Johnnyd]

This is a great thread! Let's keep it going!

I recently have been interested in building bonsai stands. I'm definitely an amateur regarding my building skills. So, I begin my adventure in what I like to refer to as "therapeutic woodworking."
My first stop was to the local thrift store to find some practice material. (Aka cheap lumber).
I found a side table that looked solid and had potential for a stand. My end results were sturdy, but it still lacked the refined look of a display stand.

My next design leaned toward smaller rails and more detail. This time I had some help from my neighbor, who is knowledgeable in woodworking. I had some fun learning to use the chop saw and drill press. This one I still consider a practice stand because I'm using leftover pieces of the side table I picked up at the thrift store. Still a work in progress.


I'm probably going to make another stand with better material in the future. It is a lot of detail work but there is a certain satisfaction in making your own stand and displaying your own tree with it.

 

[Crawforde]

That’s nice.
And there should also be some satisfaction gained from using repurposed materials.

 

[Johnnyd]

The humidity finally came down so I could put some stain and urethane on it. I mixed red mahogany with ebony at almost equal parts.
I may go over it with some steel wool and put another layer on in a few days.

 

[ShadyStump]

Slightly off topic, but related:
Has anyone tried milling their own boards before?
It's about that time of year for me to get going on making Christmas presents, and I want to get outside the carving I've mostly been doing and making practical items for some of my family. I was thinking tabletop sized wood screens for my two sisters.

I have a big round of nice clear English walnut left - about 2'Lx1'W - that I wanted to mill into working stock, but I'd like to get as interesting a grain pattern as I can out of it.
I have 10" table saw, and a chainsaw and sawzal for the initial cuts if necessary. Am I in over my head for bias sawn boards?

I swear, I'll try a nice stand once I'm more confident in joinery, and then this'll be closer to on-topic.

Edit: rift sawn on a bias. Hoping for very sharp cathedral grain pattern.

 

[Sansokuu]

Here's a little box stand I managed to finish in four days. It's currently on display in the formal wing, today thru Sunday next week at the US National Arboretum.

This wood is 'Chechen Rosewood".

View attachment 486592View attachment 486593View attachment 486594View attachment 486595View attachment 486596View attachment 486597View attachment 486598View attachment 486599

Pitoon, I just found this thread. This stand is so beautiful! This is how you should display your pots at the shows.

 

[Pitoon]

Slightly off topic, but related:
Has anyone tried milling their own boards before?
It's about that time of year for me to get going on making Christmas presents, and I want to get outside the carving I've mostly been doing and making practical items for some of my family. I was thinking tabletop sized wood screens for my two sisters.

I have a big round of nice clear English walnut left - about 2'Lx1'W - that I wanted to mill into working stock, but I'd like to get as interesting a grain pattern as I can out of it.
I have 10" table saw, and a chainsaw and sawzal for the initial cuts if necessary. Am I in over my head for bias sawn boards?

I swear, I'll try a nice stand once I'm more confident in joinery, and then this'll be closer to on-topic.

Edit: rift sawn on a bias. Hoping for very sharp cathedral grain pattern.

Max cutting height on a 10" table saw is about 3 1/2". You can start the ripping process on the table saw passing the board on it's edge, then flipping and doing the other side. That will provide at least 7" of cut.....you still have 5" within to finish the rip. You can use a hand saw to do the rest. If you have access to a saw that cuts on the pull stroke it will be a lot easier than one that cuts on the push stroke.

Once you finish the rip find someone that has a planer wide enough to pass the board. You can flatten it with a hand plane but you're going to be at it for hours, and might resemble Popeye when you're done if you use an American hand plane. Try to use an Asian hand plane that cuts on the pull stroke it will be a lot easier.

 

[Pitoon]

Pitoon, I just found this thread. This stand is so beautiful! This is how you should display your pots at the shows.

Thanks! I had that stand for sale at the National show. I almost sold it, but the guy wanted to low ball me for it. I did have very small mame pots on display with it. Next go around I may have some more box stands on display.

 

[ShadyStump]

Max cutting height on a 10" table saw is about 3 1/2". You can start the ripping process on the table saw passing the board on it's edge, then flipping and doing the other side. That will provide at least 7" of cut.....you still have 5" within to finish the rip. You can use a hand saw to do the rest. If you have access to a saw that cuts on the pull stroke it will be a lot easier than one that cuts on the push stroke.

Once you finish the rip find someone that has a planer wide enough to pass the board. You can flatten it with a hand plane but you're going to be at it for hours, and might resemble Popeye when you're done if you use an American hand plane. Try to use an Asian hand plane that cuts on the pull stroke it will be a lot easier.

Thanks for the pointers. As much as I'd like to get one big slab for each screen, I wasn't counting on it.
I'll have to brainstorm it some more to get an idea how I'll go about it.

 

[Pitoon]

Thanks for the pointers. As much as I'd like to get one big slab for each screen, I wasn't counting on it.
I'll have to brainstorm it some more to get an idea how I'll go about it.

What is the final size of the piece?

Example.....you need a 3/4" x 12" x 24" board

You can find a board with the width, length, and thickness as one piece

Or

Find a board 2" thick x 6" wide x 24" long. You can easily rip this size board with a 10" table saw. You rip it and now have two pieces of 1" x 6" x 24". You can glue these two pieces as bookmatched and run it through a planer taking off 1/4". If you don't have a planer you can rip those two pieces down to 3/4" and glue them up. If you use the right blade and it's sharp there will be minimal sanding on the face of the board.

There's many ways to get to 4:

1+3
2+2
5-1
10-6
.......etc

Be creative with what equipment you have available.

 

[ShadyStump]

What is the final size of the piece?

Example.....you need a 3/4" x 12" x 24" board

You can find a board with the width, length, and thickness as one piece

Or

Find a board 2" thick x 6" wide x 24" long. You can easily rip this size board with a 10" table saw. You rip it and now have two pieces of 1" x 6" x 24". You can glue these two pieces as bookmatched and run it through a planer taking off 1/4". If you don't have a planer you can rip those two pieces down to 3/4" and glue them up. If you use the right blade and it's sharp there will be minimal sanding on the face of the board.

There's many ways to get to 4:

1+3
2+2
5-1
10-6
.......etc

Be creative with what equipment you have available.

I'm making the folding screens, so it doesn't absolutely have to be one board, but I was hoping.
Plan was for a 4 or 5 section folding screen with scrolled edges. My 12yo would help with the construction. Then ask my artistic autistic 14yo to draw and cut stencils in wax paper for my 5 and 7 yos to stain the images into the wood after I dig them out slightly. Family gifts for their aunts!
A single continuous grain pattern would be ideal, but not required.

Now days I'm working with some people that roll out those chainsaw sculptures, like cartoony bears and moose. They have a saw mill I might ask about using for the project. It's just been busy lately, so I'm not sure I can get the time.

 

[Maiden69]

I have a big round of nice clear English walnut left - about 2'Lx1'W

When you say a big round what do you mean? A cross cut section of a trunk? As in the picture below? Because that is what I call a "round". If so, then at 2' diameter you're not going to be able to do that at home unless you have a log saw similar to this. You could get away with a 24" saw, but you will have to go around the perimeter of the log a few times before been able to cut the center section. Other than that, the sawmill would be able to knock them out in huge cookies in a heartbeat.


If it is a board, you can do as Pitton suggested, using a table saw with a fence. Then use a rip saw to cut the center section. I have a Ryoba saw for this.

 

[ShadyStump]

When you say a big round what do you mean? A cross cut section of a trunk? As in the picture below? Because that is what I call a "round". If so, then at 2' diameter you're not going to be able to do that at home unless you have a log saw similar to this. You could get away with a 24" saw, but you will have to go around the perimeter of the log a few times before been able to cut the center section. Other than that, the sawmill would be able to knock them out in huge cookies in a heartbeat.
View attachment 510359

If it is a board, you can do as Pitton suggested, using a table saw with a fence. Then use a rip saw to cut the center section. I have a Ryoba saw for this.

I realized after posting that I was using the wrong word. It's a short, wide log really.
I asked at work, but it looks like the mill won't manage something so short, and the boss is also worried about the blades they have. They're intended for softwoods - green pine, spruce, and fir is what they're used on - so he's worried about using company equipment on very dry walnut.

As much as I'd like to get one big slice for each screen, I just have to accept that it may be impractical.

 

[Cajunrider]

Thanks for the pointers. As much as I'd like to get one big slab for each screen, I wasn't counting on it.
I'll have to brainstorm it some more to get an idea how I'll go about it.

Talk to the local wood working club to find someone with a big bandsaw who routinely do resaw. They can do that for you easily,

 

[Maiden69]

If it is just 12" wide you can do it with a table saw and a rip saw or regular wood way if you have one. You can also do as Cajunrider suggested, or check a cabinet maker in the area that have a resawing bandsaw and ask how much they would charge for cutting it.

Mill is just giving you excuses, as all they have to do is adjust the feeding speed for the hardwood. Now, the size of the material could be an issue depending on the size of the mill.

 

[ShadyStump]

I'm not aware of any woodworking clubs in the area. It's a largely rural area, so much of that sort of thing is just friends and neighbors.
But I did just remember that I have a connection to a guy at nearby Ft Carson. They may still have a woodshop there, and I could see about asking him to get me on base for a weekend.

Otherwise, I think I'll chainsaw it to square sides and go from there. Won't get the one bid board I want, but that was the ideal hope, not the reasonable one. Small compromise.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! You really got me through some mental blocks even if the ideal solution turns out to be out of reach.

 

[Pitoon]

If it is just 12" wide you can do it with a table saw and a rip saw or regular wood way if you have one. You can also do as Cajunrider suggested, or check a cabinet maker in the area that have a resawing bandsaw and ask how much they would charge for cutting it.

Mill is just giving you excuses, as all they have to do is adjust the feeding speed for the hardwood. Now, the size of the material could be an issue depending on the size of the mill.

The correct blade width plays a crucial role in resawing.

@ShadyStump if you find someone that can resaw make sure they have a wide enouge blade to do it. If you try to resaw with a narrow blade the blade will drift off and you'll end up messing up your piece of wood.

Sometimes for the sake of saving time, buying 4S4 lumber is worth it even if you have to pay the mark up for the machining.

 

[Maiden69]

The correct blade width plays a crucial role in resawing.

Completely agree, but a mill that does resawing stating that the blade is for softwoods is not a legit excuse. I could agree if they said they have a rough cut TPI blade, and he wanted a decent finish.

Sometimes for the sake of saving time, buying 4S4 lumber is worth it even if you have to pay the mark up for the machining.

Yes, S3S would be slightly cheaper as well if you have a half decent table saw or a guide for a circular saw.

 

[Pitoon]

Completely agree, but a mill that does resawing stating that the blade is for softwoods is not a legit excuse. I could agree if they said they have a rough cut TPI blade, and he wanted a decent finish.


Yes, S3S would be slightly cheaper as well if you have a half decent table saw or a guide for a circular saw.

Lol, I just noticed I typed 4S4. It's been a long day at work today!

My woodworking is slowly coming to an end for the season. Soon it will be to wet or cold to work outside.

You have any projects in the works?

 

[Maiden69]

Lol, I just noticed I typed 4S4. It's been a long day at work today!

And since I knew what you were talking about I read it as S4S... either I'm dyslexic or I'm also having a long day.