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Thanks for all the input - there are many ideas for me to consider...
Had a great day at the timber yards yesterday. Was trying to buy coolibah but struggled to get it. Ended up going to ironwood in lilyfield and got some dressed recycled spotted gum. Very nice grain features with a few borer holes etc so will look good. Only cost me $400, so happy with that. I'll post the pictures as I start. Pretty impressed by the selection of timber there as well, so I think it could become my favourite timber yard.
I've already got a very sturdy bench, with 30mm or so thick plywood top bolted on to 4x2 posts, so don't need that. One thing I forgot to mention was that I have built a fair portion of the furniture in my house already, so this is the second round of building, as the last lot was built with pine/mdf 10 years ago. Practiced a couple of m&t joints late yesterday and happy with the results.
In terms of justifying the timber, comparing it to ikea is not relevant in my case. Sure you can buy a mdf/melamine table for $100 but I'm not building one of those. I'm comparing a solid timber table with m&t joints and dovetailed drawers, which probably cost close to $1k, and is not as well made. I'm doing it for the enjoyment and the quality. So I think I can justify half the savings to spend on tools (that's my rule of thumb anyway).
One thing a couple of people have suggested is a dust collection system, which I did not think about. This has risen to the top, so will get one today. DIYDAN's sounds like a good idea, my folks live in st ives so I'm often around the area, although it's a little far from the inner west.
I reckon I can build the coffee table without the domino, so I will have a go at justifying it with the savings from the dining table yet to be made in a month or so..
Cheers,
Tom
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Tom
I suggest:-
Buy a Domino, they are expensive but, will do the work of a biscuit joiner, and much more
Buy a larger hand plane which can be used to prepare components and also as a shooting board plane
Buy a 14 " bandsaw which is much safer to use than a table saw , and takes up less space. I find with mine I can get a finish cut which only needs a swipe or two of a hand plane and it is ready to apply finish.
To give you an Idea of what can be accomplished, on the above chair I cut the components from boards I dressed on the planer thicknessor. ( you could buy boards dressed by Others )
I cut components such as rails, legs, and veneers for the back splats, and curved rails on the bandsaw, and dressed these with hand planes and spokeshaves. most of the joints were done with the Domino.
Each of the Backsplats were made of three veneers cut on the Bandsaw, glued on a former then dressed with spokeshaves.
If you are planning to make lots of a particular item and design, then machinery is very useful but you need lots of space in the workshop. If you plan to make smaller quantities I find handtools are often quicker and certainly more enjoyable to use.
Enjoy
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10 years on, we really should be asking Tom how his furniture builds went.
I almost fell into the same trap.
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Correct, I knew that, and was just testing to see if anyone would spot it. :-:-
Or just maybe I am slowing down a Tad :D
Cheers
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And Tom hasn't been on the forum for 2 years. We will never know. Probably bought a Domino then couldn't afford the internet. :no:
