Search Results for: Bandsaw

Toy helicopter

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I ask James (6 1/2 years) after Christmas Dinner does he want to help make something… He said “yes…”
Me: “What do you want to make?”
James: “A helicopter…”
Me: “ermmm ok… let’s do it…”

All I did was quickly draw a shape out on the piece of pine, and cut out on the bandsaw. Then found some scrap for the landing gear, and rotor blades, then I just use glue and screws I even predrilled…

I then said it needs a rear stablising fin so I added that. Then I said, I should really shape the landing gear a bit better, so that was done on the sanding disc.

I added the dowel and then glued a cap on the dowel so that the rotor blades can still spin. Has working rotor blades and all… this is one of those high tech toys after all… lol. All off the cuff like 95% of my projects.

James will take it home tomorrow (boxing day) and paint it the colours of his choosing… he was all excited that I said he could paint it what ever and however he liked or wanted to. I said to him the rescue helicopter that fly’s over our house all the time is red… they are real heros.

Sometimes it just about letting the imagination take over, let them just do it, don’t stop them when you can see that they has missed a spot or it is not perfect… let them do the making… let them have fun, let their imagination free, because to them that is the way they see things.

20 under rated youtube channels

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In the last two years their has been a boom of youtube channels in the maker community including our own small channel. This is an awesome thing to see, it means the maker community is truly alive and kicking across the board and around the world and that is just awesome to see. It is the reason I started my channel, to simply to inspire others to go and make something. It could be crafting or woodworking or metal, or what ever… the point is you are making something.

However with this growing number of maker channels it is harder to get noticed and get those subscribers up. But I will say this before we go to far. There is no magical number where your channel will instantly grow. There is no magical formula to making a hit video that will go viral, and even if you do, it doesn’t automatically mean you will get the subscribers. There is no easy path to take, it is a lot of work that goes into running a channel.

The only formula that actually works, is doing the hard work and keeping at it. There is the planning process of the project, and the making of the project while filming it, this alone can make a project 3-5 times longer to do in the making process… setting camera, lighting audio, remembering you have a camera and changing the angles coming up with new angles… and at the moment you not even a third done of the process. You now have to go and edit your video… and depending on your style and planning this can take any from 3 – 8 hours and up for a 10 minute video. I have had one or two videos that took nearly 20 hours to edit… but on average mine take about 5-6 hours if I am not distracted.

Once you are happy with your video you are still not done, uploading it to youtube, and sorting your description, keywords and thumb nail etc and any links you mentioned in your video etc… Once the video is uploaded and processed by youtube, you then need to sort any annotations if you need them and cards and the you can publish your video…

Now believe or not you have done the easy part and this is what this article is about. The hard part is getting people to watch your video without you blatantly spamming every one… and if you spam you simply turn off people from wanting to watch your video. You can use your other social networks to help like FaceBook, Twitter, Pintrest, Google+ etc and any other forums you are on to spread the word of your video. But don’t spam. Once your subscribers grow it does become easier but you still have to keep at it and it can be a lot of work.

So the whole point of this article is to spread the word of other youtubers like myself, channels that have put in the hard slog and deserve more subscribers. The list below is only scratching the surface of the number a great channels out there. They are in no particular order. Read More …

Dominic Bender

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Dominic from Dominic’s Woodworks is one of the newer makers on the net. He makes some fun projects and his sense of humor I am sure you will get a few laughs along the way. Dominic produces video’s both in English and in German… phew!

Visit Dominic’s website: http://www.dominicswoodworks.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DominicsWoodworks/

And since he does his vide ons in English and German we though it would be great to do both as well. To read the German version click here.

Interview

I like doing things in unusual ways, taking the proverbial way around the box or something like that. At the same time I try to develop my skills as a woodworker, although I yet have to tackle some of the more traditional subjects. I also try to inspire my viewers to try new things and to, well, be inspired.

I also do my videos in English and German – did I mention that I am from Germany? I started out in English, though, and only added the German version about six months in.

Oh, and I also sing from time to time. Consider this fair warning.

Wacky wood works: Okay okay warning taken… lol

Stats: I am a hobbyist in the sense that I do not have any traditional education in wood or a related craft. My main source of knowledge, other than my own trial and error, is YouTube.

Shop size: My shop is 2,7m x 5,7m (about 18ft x 9ft) large, and it is actually the basement underneath half of a two-car garage. “Sad” story behind that is that when the house was being built – some three decades ago – the whole space for a basement underneath the garage had been excavated, but someone decided that they would never need that much room, and had half of it filled up again. Another, though smaller quirk of my shop is that there are two arm-thick hoses running from a spot on the long wall up to the ceiling and towards the house. This is where our central heating gets its fuel, wood pellets, from, and it takes up some valuable wall space.

How long have you been woodworking?
I have been doing “proper” woodworking for about one and a half years now, doing videos of it for pretty much a year. I have tried to remember for how long I have been making stuff but failed (probably because I am getting old). I have been what is now called a maker for pretty much all my life as far as I can remember. I have done knitting, embroidery, sewing, sculpting and various other venues of crafting, and looking back I realize that I have a strong theme of recreating imaginary pieces, like stuff from video games or movies. I have made a replica of the Grail Diary from Indy 3, a miniature version of the Realm of Torment from Guild Wars, an AT-AT from thin card stock with articulate legs and sliding doors, and several flavors of potato’s from Neo-pets (yes, seriously), to name a few.

Replica of the Grail Diary from Indy 3

Realm of Torment from Guild Wars

What is your day job?
I am kind of full time since I am currently a stay-at-home dad of three lovely girls. Other than that, I am a mechanical engineer by trade, which in my mind helps me with my approach to woodworking.

Can you remember your first project and what was it?
I am not completely certain, but as best as I can tell it is a a mock-up play set of Jabba’s Palace, and an Endor play set made mostly from toothpicks, both of which I kept extending on and off over several years.

Jabba’s Palace

What made you decide to start producing online content?
The actual trigger was watching two specific videos, one by Tim Sway where he makes a wooden bouquet and one by Steve Carmichael about a bandsaw vase. That kind of melted together into the Bandsaw Tulips, and I decided that I would do a video of those. I think it was the general pleasantness of the community that gave me the confidence to do that.

What was your first video project?
The Bandsaw Tulip, see above. Click here.

Bandsaw Tulip

What camera setup and editing software do you have, do you have someone helping you, any extra gadgets that you use that helps you film?
I started out with an old digital camera to record, and I used Microsoft Movie Maker to edit my videos. Since then, I have upgraded to a Canon Power Shot SX50 HS and use Cyberlink PowerDirector 12 for my editing needs.

Do you only do woodworking or do you work with any other materials?
Mainly woodworking, but I want to expand my horizon a little and venture into metalworking in the future. Like I said I have also worked with other materials before, and I am always looking for ways to incorporate that into my woodworking, although I have not done it as often as I would like to.

What is your favorite project you have made so far and why?
My kids. Or do you mean in woodworking? Hard to say… If I had too, I would have to pick my workshop – a work in progress, but it amazes me that I get anything done there.

Wacky wood works: Ah a true family man at heart… Hopefully they will be woodworkers soon as well 🙂

Do you have a favorite tool, if so what is it and why?
This changes over time. I like my bandsaw, and I also like turning, which currently means that I like my mini lathe. But I always learn and evolve from tool to tool, getting more into the table saw recently. But I usually go where my projects take me – with the exception of projects where the idea is to do something on a particular tool.

Wacky wood works: We find this as well… if a project mainly uses the table saw then while the project is being done the table saw is our favorite tool. However if the next project is more for a lathe work then all of a sudden the lathe is our favorite tool (for the week).

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere, but mainly from books, games and movies. I also get a lot from YouTube and other content creators, finding inspiration in things they do that might revive old ideas of mine that I had thought impossible to actually make

What do you have coming up in the near future?
I am working on improving my shop with a few projects, and I also want to take my Mini lathe adventures further. I have some other project ideas that I want to tackle in the near future, too, but I usually do not know what will be next till I start. Oh, and I am currently hosting my first contest, the Challenge Tree. I am looking forward to see how that turns out.

On the long run, I want to do more “fun” videos, although I could not say for sure what I mean by that. Things like the trash talk for the 2×4 contest, April’s Fools, Halloween, things like that. I also intend to sing a little more often. So far I have done two wood-themed lyrics based on known songs, and to my eternal surprise, none has gone viral. Which of course means that I need to make more (rest assured, I have been told that my singing does not cause lasting damage to the listener in most cases).

Wacky wood works: Opps thanks for reminding us… we have every intentions of entering but with work and all the other stuff going on that needs doing… it’s one day at a time for us.

On yet another note, I also want to put some more effort into my second channel, the Demonic Woodworker, an animation with a fantasy story and lots of excuses for woodworking. Click here.

Wacky Wood Works: Well there you go I did not know this… I best go and find this channel.

What advice would you give someone that may want to start making things?
Just go for it. If you have no idea how to actually do it look at how other people have done similar things, say, on YouTube, or find someone who has experience and ask them to teach you. At a later point I would recommend to step away from how others do it and do your own thing inspired by theirs, but for the beginner, anything goes.

Same goes for recording videos. It takes time and effort, and maybe too much of both for you, but you will never know unless you try it.

Visit Dominic’s website: http://www.dominicswoodworks.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DominicsWoodworks/


Deutsch Version
Ich gehe Dinge gerne auf unkonventionelle Arten an, und versuche dabei über den sprichwörtlichen Tellerrand hinaus zu denken. Gleichzeitig versuche ich meine Fähigkeiten als Holzarbeiter zu verbessern, auch wenn ich noch einige der traditionellen Techniken vor mit habe. Ich versuche außerdem meine Zuschauer zu inspirieren neue Dinge auszuprobieren und, nun, inspiriert zu sein.

Ich produziere meine Videos außerdem auf deutsch und englisch – ich muss wahrscheinlich nicht erwähnen, dass ich aus Deutschlang bin, oder? Ich habe allerdings auf englisch angefangen und erst nach sechs Monaten deutsch dazu genommen.

Oh, und von Zeit zu Zeit singe ich auch. Damit seid ihr also gewarnt.

Wacky wood works: Okay, okay, Warnung verstanden. lol

Stats: Ich betreibe das ganze als Hobby in dem Sinn, dass ich keine traditionelle Ausbildung mit Holz oder einem verwandten Handwerk habe. Meine Hauptquelle für Wissen, außer meinen eigenen Versuchen und Irrtümern, ist YouTube.

Werkstattgröße: Meine Werkstatt ist 2,7m x 5,7m groß, und ist eigentlich der Keller unter der Hälfte einer Doppelgarage. Die “traurige” Geschichte dahinter ist, dass als das Haus gebaut wurde – vor über dreißig Jahren schon der ganze Bereich ausgehoben war, aber jemand beschlossen hat, dass sie niemals so viel Platz brauchen würden, und die Hälfte wieder zugeschüttet wurde. Eine weitere, wenn auch marginale, Besonderheit meiner Werkstatt sind zwei etwa armdicke Schläuche, die von einem Punkt an einer der langen Wände an der Decke entlang in Richtung Haus verlaufen. Durch sie versorgt sich unsere Zentralheizung mit Treibstoff, also Holzpellets, und kostet dabei wertvolle Wandfläche.

Wie lange arbeitest du schon mit Holz?
Mit dem “richtigen ” Holzarbeiten habe ich vor etwa anderthalb Jahren angefangen, und Videos davon mache ich seit ziemlich genau einem Jahr. Ich habe versucht mich daran zu erinnern wie lange ich allgemein schon Dinge mache, bin aber gescheitert (wahrscheinlich weil ich alt werde). Ich bin eigentlich seit ich denken kann das, was man mittlerweile als Maker oder Macher bezeichnet. Ich habe schon gestrickt, gestickt, genäht, modelliert und verschiedene andere Richtungen des Bastelns ausprobiert, und zurückblickend ist mir aufgefallen, dass ich dabei immer wieder “ausgedachte” Gegenstände gebaut habe, wie etwa Dinge aus Videospielen oder Filmen. Ich habe das Gral-Tagebuch aus Indy 3 kopiert, eine Miniaturversion des Reich der Qualen aus Guild Wars gebaut, ebenso einen AT-AT aus dünnem Karton mit beweglichen Beinen und Schiebetür, und verschiedene Geschmacksrichtung von Kartoffeln aus Neopets (ja, ernsthaft), um nur ein paar zu nennen.

Was machst du hauptberuflich?
Zur Zeit betreibe ich meinen Kanal praktisch in Vollzeit, denn ich bin momentan als Vater von drei süßen Mädels in Elternzeit. Abgesehen davon bin ich von Berufswegen her Maschinenbauingenieur, und ich denek das beeinflusst meine Herangehensweise bei der Holzarbeit.

Kannst du dich an dein erstes Projekt erinnern und was war es?
Ich bin mir nicht völlig sicher, aber so weit ich das sagen kann war das ein Spielset für Jabbas Palast, und ein Endor-Spielset, letzteres beinahe komplett aus aus Zahnstochern, und beide habe ich über Jahre immer wieder erweitert.

Was hat dich dazu gebracht Online-Inhalte zu produzieren?
Der eigentliche Auslöser waren zwei Videos, eines von Tim Sway, in dem er einen hölzernen Blumenstrauß gemacht hat und eins von Stece Carmichael über seine Bandsägen-Vase. Die beiden sind quasi zur Idee für die Bandsägen-Tulpen verschmolzen, und ich habe beschlossen ein Video davon zu machen. Ich denke die allgemeine Freundlichkeit der Gemeinschaft auf Youtube hat mir dafür die nötige Selbstsicherheit gegeben.

Was war dein erstes Videoprojekt?
Die Bandsägen-Tulpen, siehe oben.

Welche Kamera und Bearbeitungssoftware hast du, hilft dir jemand, und welche Zusatzgeräte benutzt du beim Filmen?
Ich habe mit einer alten Digitalkamera angefangen und Microsoft Movie Maker benutzt um meine Videos zu bearbeiten. In der Zwischenzeit habe ich auf eine Canon Power Shot SX50 HS aufgerüstet und benutze Cyberlink PowerDirector 12 für meine Bearbeitungsaufgaben.

Betreibst du nur Holzarbeit oder arbeitest du auch mit anderen Materialien?
Hauptsächlich Holzarbeit, aber ich will meinen Horizont etwas erweitern indem ich in Zukunft auch mehr mit Metall arbeite. Wie gesagt habe ich früher schon mit anderen Werkstoffen gearbeitet, und bin ständig auf der Suche nach Möglichkeiten diese in meine Holzarbeit zu integrieren, auch wenn ich das bisher nicht so oft geschafft habe wie ich es mir gewünscht hätte.

Was ist dein Lieblingsprojetk von denen die du bisher gemacht hast?
Meine Kinder. Oder meinst du beim Holzarbeiten? Schwer zu sagen… Wenn ich wählen müsste würde ich meine Werkstatt nennen – daran wird laufend gearbeitet, aber ich finde es bemerkenswert, dass ich darin überhaupt etwas fertig bekomme.

Wacky wood works: Ah, ein Familienmensch durch und durch. Hoffentlich werden sie auch bald Holzarbeiter 🙂

Hast du ein bevorzugtes Werkzeug, wenn ja welches und warum?
Das ändert sich mit der Zeit. Ich mag meine Bandsäge, und ich mag es zu drechseln, was momentan bedeutet, dass ich meine Minidrechselbank mag. Aber ich lerne immer dazu und entwickele mich von Werkzeug zu Werkzeug, und bin in letzter Zeit meiner Tischkreissäge näher gekommen. Aber üblicherweise gehe ich da hin wo mich meine Projekte hin führen – mit der Ausnahme jener Projekte, bei denen die Idee ist etwas mit einem bestimmten Werkzeug zu machen.

Wacky wood works: Das sehen wir auch so. Wenn ein Projekt hauptsächlich die Tischkreissäge nutzt, dann ist die Tischkreissäge für die Dauer des Projektes unser Lieblingswerkzeug. Wenn dann allerdings das näshtes Projekt mehr an der Drechselbank stattfindet, dann ist plötzliche die Drechselbank unser Lieblingswerkzeug (für diese Woche).

Woher nimmst du deine Inspiration?
Überall her, aber hauptsächlich aus Büchern, Spielen und Filmen. Ich finde auch viel bei YouTube und anderen Videomachern, beispielsweise indem Dinge die sie machen alte Ideen von mir wiederbeleben die ich bisher für unmöglich umsetzbar gehalten habe.

Was hast du in nächster Zeit geplant?
Ich arbeite daran meine Werkstatt zu verbessern, und ich will auch mit meinen Abenteuern mit der Minidrechselbank weiter machen. Ich habe ein paar andere Projektideen die ich in der nahen Zukunft angehen will, aber für gewöhnlich weiß ich nicht was als nächstes dran kommt bis ich damit anfange. Oh, und ich veranstalte momentan meinen ersten Wettbewerb, den Herausforderungs-Baum. Ich bin gespannt zu sehen wie der sich entwickelt.

Längerfristig will ich mehr “Spaß”-Videos machen, auch wenn ich nicht sicher sagen kann was ich damit meine. Dinge wie das Säbelrasseln für den 2×4-Wettbewerb, zum 1. April, Halloween, sowas in der Art. Ich habe auch vor etwas mehr zu finden. Bisher habe ich zwei Lieder mit holz-lastigen Texten gesungen, und zu meiner ewigen Überraschung bin ich noch nicht entdeckt worden. Was natürlich bedeutet, dass ich mehr machen muss (Lasst mich euch versichern das mir gesagt wurde, dass mein Gesang bei den Zuhörern keinen längerfristigen Schäden hervorruft).

Wacky wood works: Ups, danke für die Erinnerung… Wir haben die Absicht mitzumachen, aber zwischen Arbeit und anderen Dingen die gemacht werden müssen… Bei uns geht es nur einen Tag nach dem anderen.

Und noch etwas anderes, ich will etwas mehr Anstrengung in meinen zweiten Kanal investieren, den dämonischen Holzarbeiter, einer Animation mit Fantasy-Geschichte und vielen Gründen für Holzarbeit.

Wacky Wood Works: Da hast dus, das wusste ich nicht… Ich gehe wohl am besten und finde diesen Kanal.

Was für Tipps würdest du jemandem geben der anfängt Dinge zu machen?
Machs einfach. Wenn du keine Idee hast wie du es angehen sollte schau dir an wie es andere Leute machen, beispielsweise auf YouTube, oder such dir jemanden der Erfahrung hat und bitte ihn dir zu helfen. Später würde ich dann empfehlen einen Schritt zurück zu machen und dein eigenes Ding zu machen, inspiriert von anderen, aber für einen Anfänger ist natürlich alles erlaubt.

Das Gleiche gilt für das Aufnehmen von Videos. Es braucht Zeit und Arbeit, und vielleicht zu viel davon für euch, aber ihr werdet es nie wissen wenn ihr es nicht probiert.

Wacky Wood Works would like to thank Dominic Bender from Dominic’s Woodworks for his time for doing this interview. We hope it will inspire others to just get out to their shop and make something.

Visit Dominic’s website: http://www.dominicswoodworks.com
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DominicsWoodworks/

Regards
Nighthawk

All photo’s on this page are the property of Dominic Bender from Dominic’s Woodworks, Wacky Wood Works has written permission to use them exclusively for this interview.

Steve Carmichael

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Steve Carmichael a woodworker and youtuber that makes some very inspiring but more importantly fun videos and projects. He has inspired many including us here at Wacky Wood Works.

Visit his website: www.thecarmichaelworkshop.com

Interview

Intro
I’m Steve Carmichael and I make fun woodworking projects on my wife’s side of the garage in Atlanta, Georgia. I have a YouTube Channel called The Carmichael Workshop where I’ve been sharing woodworking videos for about 2 ½ years. I like to make fun projects that are quick, easy, and accessible to a broad group of woodworkers.

How long have you been woodworking?
I’ve been woodworking since I was a kid, over 30 years. My father was always fixing or building something around the house, so I learned a lot from watching him. He gave me a Handy Andy tool kit which had basic child-sized tools to get me started. It sure was difficult cutting wood with what was basically a toy saw. Eventually he showed me how to use a jig saw, a small bandsaw, and other hand held power tools.

Can you remember your first project and what it was?
The first project that I can remember making is a small model of a log cabin. I used dowels for the logs and plywood for the foundation and roof. I still have it. My grandparents lived in a log cabin, so that’s probably where the idea came from. Looking at it now, it looks more like a seven layer s’ more you would make at a campfire. I’m glad my mom kept it all these years.

What made you decide to start producing online content? (blog or video)
There was a chain of events at the beginning of 2012 that led me to start making woodworking videos. In January of 2012, my father died of Alzheimer’s. While helping my mother go through his things, she told me to take any of his tools that I needed. I brought home the tools that would add to the shop that I already started. This opened up some new possibilities as far as projects I could make.

I had already been listening to woodworking podcasts and watching other YouTube woodworkers like Marc Spagnuolo, Matt Vanderlist, Laney Shaughnessy, and Steve Ramsey. So they were my influences that sparked the thought that I could make videos too. I also grew up watching Norm Abram on the New Yankee Workshop.

After seeing my father’s memory and vast how-to knowledge fade away, I thought making videos would be a good way for me to document what I know and share it with my family and friends. I had no idea that other people would want to watch me make things too. I have some of my father’s projects and I keep thinking that it would be so cool if I could watch a video of my dad making them. Maybe 100 years from now, my great great great grandchildren will have my projects and be able to watch the videos of me making them.

What was your first video project?
In the Summer of 2012, the first Whirligig Wars contest was held and I decided to make a KISS Whirligig and enter it at the last minute. To enter the contest, you had to make a video. I ended up winning first place and it was that experience gave me the confidence and kick start I needed to start my own channel. Thanks to Laney and Steve for hosting that contest!

Do you only do woodworking or do you work with any other materials?
I mainly do woodworking and I like the majority of each project to be wood. I do like to incorporate other materials as accents if it makes sense. For example, I used metal hairpin table legs on a 1950’s style Record Player Stand for that mid-century modern look. I would like to try metal work and welding sometime to see how I like it. I have turned a few acrylic pens before and they looked great, but I missed the satisfaction I get from using wood. There is something about making things out of wood that appeals to me – the smell, the feel, the look, and just knowing it was once a tree that took a long time to grow.

What is your favorite project you have made so far?
Each project is like an individual child to me so it’s hard to pick a favorite. They are all special for different reasons. If I had to pick one, it would be my 2×4 Acoustic Telecaster Guitar. A guitar has always been on my bucket list, but seemed out of reach due to its complexity. I made it for a 2×4 contest which required me to strip it down to just the basics to make it work, since I could only use one 8-foot 2×4. This project also combined my love for playing musical instruments and woodworking, which made the project even more enjoyable. I still can’t believe I was able to build a guitar from a regular 2×4, and it sounds good and stays in tune!

Do you have a favorite tool, if so what is it?
My favorite tool is definitely the bandsaw. It’s the first power tool my father let me use, after the handheld jig saw. I like the freedom it gives me to cut in any direction, which inspires me to add curves and make more artistic projects. The bandsaw jewelry box that I made for my daughter is a good example. Lots of people have used my pattern to make those. I also like the scrollsaw for the same reasons, but my old saw has limitations like using pin blades and a 13” capacity that restrict what I can do with it.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
It comes from many places depending on the project. Sometimes I make something just because I need it, and I usually try to make something before I buy it. Usually I come up with a project I want to make, then I search Google Images to see what’s out there already. I try to add my own spin to make the project different and unique. If I’m making a gift for someone, I like to snoop around and see what they might like by looking at their Facebook photos, etc. As far as making videos, I’m inspired by my viewers who comment and give me feedback.

What advice would you give someone that may want to start making things?
Start with a project that incorporates one of your hobbies or passions. Do a small project that you can complete in a day with tools you already have. You will most likely be able to finish a project if you are excited about it and can easily get it done without spending a lot of money or time preparing for it. It’s important to have that first success to motivate you and have the confidence to make more stuff.

Anything else you want to add…?
Thank you for the opportunity to be featured on your website. Our online woodworking community is amazing and everyone is so very supportive of each other. Being able to share woodworking projects and have conversations with people all across the world has been a life-changing experience for me. I never thought that people would be interested in my goofy projects, but it turns out that’s what they like about them. More projects are coming soon!

Wacky Wood Works would like to thank Steve from The Carmichael Workshop for his time for doing this interview. We hope it will inspire others to just get out to their shop and make something.

Regards
Nighthawk

All photo’s on this page are the property of The Carmichael and Wacky Wood Works has written permission to use them exclusively for this interview.

 

Party wine glass holder.

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You could easily make this project with just a drill and a jig saw. Also if you use nice wood you could easily make some really great looking holders, make as a set to sell at fairs and stalls etc. We only made ours out of MDF because we want them for new year (which is couple of days away now), and we had been given some MDF a while back that was just right for this.

First cut length and then cross cut roughly the size of an A4.

Find a descent sized can and mark the corners ready to cut.

Take to bandsaw and cut the corners. If you don’t have a bandsaw you could use a jigsaw, or scroll saw even a copping saw will do.

Quick sand the edges … this is to take any sharpe edge off.

Since I do not have a big enough forstner bit I will have to use a 38mm spade bit. On the drill press drill halfway, then flip over and drill the rest but again don’t push all the way through, only till it meets with the cut onthe other side. (you will most likely get a small piece to push out) This will prevent blow or tear out on the other side.

you should now be able to push the waste bit out…

Now we need to cut the glass access way on the bandsaw. Roughly 15mm slot to meet with the hole we drilled centred. Again this could be done on a scroll saw or with a jigsaw. Actually any saw would do.

Quick rasp and file…

Some more sanding… by hand even… and then more sanding.

Since this is just MDF, give a couple of coats of paint and it is ready to use.

It will hold your wine glass and the few snacks you picked up while walking around the party.

And is easy enough to get your drink.

Wooden 3d New Zealand Flag

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New Zealand flag info found here. The flag is pretty much close to actual scale which was the hard part of the design though google helped alot. This project could easily be made with a jigsaw and maybe a copping saw for the stars. (though it does depend on the flag you are making. It is made out of pallet wood scraps.

Tools Used

    • Table Saw
    • Mitre Saw
    • Sander
    • Bandsaw
    • Compass

If you don’t have a thicknesser try to get your pieces the same thickness, though this not 100% necessary it will make things easier to line up. Once you have this the cut into different random width strips on the table saw and different random lengths on the mitre saw. With a pencil mark the bottom of the cut piece so you can easily work out which way it fits.

This is a good way to get rid of some of your scraps

Nighthawk doing some satan worship … wait what?… no….some 5 pointed stars.
Err that Diameter / Pi / 5 that’s what it is. I need four of them to make the Southern Cross. I just used some off cut scrap ply.

Cut the stars out on Bandsaw… Scrollsaw, Jigsaw, or even a copping saw.
Place background randomly different height, and length and then add the stars…see it was a stars…?

Find ply for union jack and a piece of backing board I used hardboard.

Place the stars

Stars and start of the Union Jack… but something not right with the Jack???

I do the Union Jack this way, that will work better… all ready for gluing. I changed to hardboard for the Jack back ground and ply for the details. Whilst I ended up painting it the offical colours just incase I decided not to this way would have look better. (when making it I hadn’t decided to paint)

Starting to glue up the Union Jack.

Union Jack glued… and now the glue up process of the 3d layers of flag.

All glued up drying ready for either painting and or stan and lacquer

Stars painted white and then taped off and painted red.

The whole thing had a couple of coats of white and then then blue on the bulk of the flag. Now starting the union jack which is going to take a bit of time.

Flag painted with the semi rustic look.

Due to the weight of the final project I decided to hang on the wall via the french cleat.

Due to the weight of the final project I decided to hang on the wall via the french cleat.

Due to the weight of the final project I decided to hang on the wall via the french cleat.

21st Scissors

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Something a bit different instead of the standard 21st key, like the crescent I made a while back this one is a pair of scissors, as she is a hair dresser.

Pattern stuck on chosen wood.

Start to cut out on bandsaw

Cutting out shape on band saw. If you don’t have a band saw, a scroll saw or even jig saw would do the job just as well.

Sand edges.

Sand edges.

Drill hole for the handle.

Use scroll saw to cut out the inner of handles, again you could use a jigsaw with a fine blade. But you may need to clamp it to your bench.

Use small drum sander on drill to do the internal

One pair of scissors for a 21st.

Safety First

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May the first or 1st of May is International woodworkers safety day. Mark from the Woodwhisper.com came up with the idea last year. It’s a good idea even if it can be repeativie and even boring at times and sometimes overly done. It reminds you of the things that you need to remember.

So it goes with out saying about wearing your safety glasses, earmuffs, dust masks & face masks, steel cap boots and full armour protection while using your power tools. But it does depend on the tool how far you go with your safety gear.  Tablesaw, I agree, ears, eyes and even a dust mask… sometimes full armour to protect from them kick backs… But and there is always a but…

I personally think the best safety device is your brain. If your brain is not working don’t turn on the power tool. If common sense has been thrown out the window get rid of your power tools because you are an accident waiting to happen. However if you think before you turn on any power tool (including a simple scroll saw) think where the blade (or bit) is going to be what way it is spinning etc… you can avoid 80% of accidents.

These are only some simple tips… there are 100’s more.

Safety Equipment: Make sure your eye wear are fitting and you have minimum amount of gaps around your eyes where shrapnel can get under. Remember you probably can not stop the fine dust particles, but you are trying to lower the chances if you have a chip come flying at you. Example at work the other day using the sanding grinder when the disk decided it had had enough and flew apart and part hit me right on my safety glasses, and all I could say was that was lucky I was wearing my glasses.

Get a fitting dust mask that seals nicely around your nose and chin and if you are spraying use a proper spray mask and check your filters are not clogged.

Some people prefer ear plugs over ear muffs, I personally prefer ear muffs and I use Grade 5. These give the best protection. Hearing lose over time happens as we get older there is no point in speeding up the process.

Tablesaws: If you are doing a long rip use the riving knife and blade guard. Use your push sticks, a good practice is to put a 100-150mm safety margin around you blade for your fingers. If you go under this then use your push sticks even if you think there is enough room.

Never do freehand cuts and always use either the rip fence or mitre guide. Even better for cross cuts if you have a cross cut sled use it.

Try not stand directly behind the piece you are cutting, off centre yourself so ‘if’ you do get a kick back it shouldn’t hit you. While this is not always possible especially on larger stock.

Use an off feed table or roller on larger or longer rips and cuts, this helps support the pieces and can help stop kick backs or blade riding when the stock drops of the back.

Make sure you don’t have loose fitting sleeves that could catch the blade when you are reaching for or pushing the stock through and try not reach over the moving blade.

Disc  sanders: Using the rest and ensure you are on the down stroke side of the spinning sander which will push the item into the rest, otherwise if you use the other side it could lift it from your hands and throw it across your workshop.

I will admitt that has happened to me. My problem is my sander spins in the opposite direction to the one I use at work. So I am so use to using one side and then come home and have to stop and think to use the opposite side. Make sure you have a good hold of the item.

Mitre Saws: The main thing I see here is people try and cut a very short and small piece of stock, not being able to hold or clamp the piece to make the cut. The piece being thrown or even worse hand being caught or jerked into the blade…

Ensure you have a safety margin where, your hand is not where the blade is cutting… again 100-150mm. If the piece can be clamped, clamp it, especially if it is an odd shape or is unbalanced on the saw. Use supports or rollers to support the stock being cut. Make a mitre station or buy a mobile stand. (These have adjust arms for long stock to be cut and balanced)

To avoid, well lowering the risk of kick back let the blade come up to speed before cutting the stock an then let the blade stop before removing or lifting the blade.

Bandsaw: Bandsaws are on the safer side of power tools yet can still do a lot of damage if you are not thinking straight, so you still have to have respect the tool.

Make sure you have the right type of blade in the saw for the right type of cutting you are wanting to do. No point having a small fine cutting blade if you are re-sawing some stock and vise versa. While the blade will do it if you take your time but you may end up pushing a bit more than you should end results broken blade, or worse pushing to hard and fast near the end of a resaw cut and your fingers get in the way before you relise because of a slip.

First Aid Kit: It goes without saying that you ensure you;

A)- have a first aid kit in your shop and;
B)- if you have used it recently make sure you restock it.

You can wear all the safety protection gear in the world, but if your brain is switched off then you will most likely still cause an injury.

The final tip I try to follow is simple enough, a tidy shop, especially around the main work area. While again this can be hard at times, make sure you can not trip over, or slip on have something fall on you, especially when you are using a power tool. Watch where your power cables and air hoses are so you are not tripping over them or cutting through them. Make sure your off cuts are not in the way.

While again all these are all simple basic safety tips it is usually the simple basic ones that people need reminding of. Safe woodworking and have fun in the shop.

Regards
Nighthawk