On 12/15/2013 10:29 AM, woodchucker wrote:
I had a very bad day in the shop yesterday.

Everything I touched went to ****.
I was doevtailing a drawer a few nights before.
Never finished the last side as I started at 10pm.
Went down this morning...
The last side was twisted... I don't know how I cut them a week ago and
everything was fine, when I startted dovetailing.



The wood had plenty of
time to do it's thing earlier.

Try and explain that to the wood. ;~)

I have learned the hard way that when milling to precise fit it is
always better to try and fit it together the same day.


Ok, so I cut a new piece, and rather than wait for it to stabilize (I am
resawing these). I start to work. Pins complete on one side.
Start marking the pins on the other... make sure they are going in the
right direction... Yep everythings fine. Start cutting the pins... nice
all done.. You know where this is going don't you. Ok, now I have a set
of pins going in one direction and a set going in the other... ****!!!!

I think you only do this one time, it is a lesson to double check. LOL



Ok, you know what I always start with pins, lets do this again and start
with the tails first.... layout... looks good... Cut them out...
Damn those are the smallest tails I have ever seen... There's a reason
you keep doing what works... my eyes are so used to spacing and layout
for pins, that I made the tails the pin sizes... Scrap that drawer....

I'm done for the day as I'm too depressed to mess up some more...

My last days of work are approaching and I'll get some shop time
shortly, unless I find a new contract. Yep, layoffs are coming where I
work, so contractors are not being renewed. I'll be out of work again..

I miss the old days... I miss having a brain too.. I can't believe I
just kept ****ing up.


Last week I made 11 wine bottle stoppers. It took me 2 full days!!!!!!
First off I could not get the live center out of the tail stock, so that
was a distraction. Then the tail stock would not adjust at all, could
not turn the adjustment crank, froze up, so that was a distraction.
Then every one of the chunks of wood that I drilled and tapped for the
mandrel on the live end stripped out, so that was a distraction. I
finally simply drilled and held the holes of the chunks of wood up to
the spinning mandrel and let go at just the right moment.

And of course the requirements to have every tool you own out for
turning the simplest of things.