Projects to keep me off the streets - Fire Department Table, Kayak
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A really beautiful table farback. I wouldn't hate having one of those.
I still think you need to make some matching chairs though, that would really keep you occupied for awhile!
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marshal616 wrote: »
My beard is almost all white now, and my winter jacket is red. people don't mess with me this time of year.3 -
Only an hour so far tonight, I applied a coat of Spar Urethane to the table bottom and the base assembly. Half a can, lots of surface area here. This product will withstand the occasional over spray from truck washing. I likely will have to wait till the morning now to flip the table over and get to work on the top. Vacation day tomorrow so I'll get a lot done. I'm retiring at the end of May and have vacation days to burn up.
Gotta be careful with this stuff. It's got a skilikin right there on the can.
All shiny like.
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Not much progress today. It's 5 F here with whiteouts. Spend the day at the fire hall and several hours operating the heavy rescue truck at this chilly get together.
I'm driving the truck above the 18 wheeler convention. right there |
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4 hours, 59 total. The Chief dropped in after we were done far-fightin for the day. He helped me flip the table top over to the top face. Four hours later it's ready for attaching the end pieces but I'm beat. 9PM, time for supper.
Planing, sanding at 80 and 120.
After much work, sanded to 120, end pieces fitted and ready to attach.
The size of the crest in relation to the table.
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@Farback: "Yikes!" to the 18-wheeler mess! I hope there were no serious injuries. We're in weather kinda like that right now, too (mid-palm in Michigan's mitten).
And I'm puzzled: Why does the urethane varnish have a name that makes it sound like aftershave?
I think it's a nautical thing. This stuff is used on wooden boats for it's water resistant properties.
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4 hours, total 63. After four fire calls in 24 hours and a couple of two hour sleeps, I got back to the shop this afternoon. Installed end pieces, and clamped them up, filled a couple open joints with light oak wood fill and sanded that down, sanded most of top to 220, set up and tested for router cuts.
My wife texted that the shopping was hellish. I assured her I was in my happy place. This tool is the cutter for the biscuits by the way.
End piece fitted with biscuit joints.
The stained area is a test to make sure the wood filler wouldn't show up as a discolouration.
Sanded and clamped. As I tell that woman who cashes my cheques (who IS that person?) you just can't have too many clamps.
Here's why it's a good idea to test an operation with a test piece. The roller bearing on my half-round 3/4 inch router bit was seized, and instead of guiding the cut burned the wood.
Swapped the bearing with one from another bit and this test looks good.
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I've never had a bearing seize on my router. That's a good warning for me.3
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Been at it since 07:30, till noon, but several drying time intervals in between tasks. 3 hours work, 66 total so far. Removed end piece clamps, wood-filled gaps, dry time, sand at 120 then 220 on ends, routered edge radius, sand again, pre-stain conditioner, dry time, finally first stain coat.
It's a common misconception that all Canadians use marijuana. I don't, but check out this joint.
Today's finishes.
Results
Might get a second stain coat on tonight. We're off to my brother's for a surprise birthday party for my 84 year old mother. She was born Christmas day, so we try to do something special for her.
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Looking very impressive. I love wood items and consider pieces like this just beyond special!1
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How fine do you finish up? 320 seems pretty course but I'm used to 3200 grit and finer for clearing plastics.
At what layer will you add the emblem?0 -
The minwax recommends a light sanding at 320 between coats. I'm going to add a third coat tomorrow, and if not happy with the depth and gloss at that point I might do an epoxy layer. Crest went on tonight between urethane coats 1 and 2.
2 hours, 68 total so far.
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Fantastic!
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Amazing work. Since it is going to a fire house wouldn't an epoxy layer add extra protection to the emblem?0
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Thanks HappyTrails7. Yes, it would make it tougher. I'll have to add a varnish layer on top of that for UV protection, but I think I'll go that route tonight, epoxy then a final varnish top coat tomorrow. It's due to go to the fire hall Friday night, so time's tight for these last layers to dry up hard. My full time job is getting in the way.1
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It's obvious that you have another career path available if you want to pursue it. Beautiful job!1
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Thanks marshal616. I'm hoping other fire departments will like it and commission a few more. I'm retiring in May and I'd love to make this sort of thing a bit of my part time work life.1
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tHREE HOURS TONIGHT, INCLUDING SOME SHOP SUPPLIES RE-ORDERING. mY EPOXY IS OLD, AND i NEED TO REPLACE MY ORGANIC FILTERS ON MY 3m MASK AND GET A NEW BOX OF THE n95 DUST FILTERS FOR IT TOO.
Oops, caps lock, sorry. Anyway, got a layer of epoxy on. I've got my cure heat lamps going, and if the epoxy sets up overnight I hope to get a varnish coat on early tomorrow. I might take the day off to get these last top coats completed. I cut the 12 dowels that will attach the top to the base, and will sand these down a bit for easy fit and to ensure they will allow the wood to flex a bit over seasonal changes.
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Up at 6AM to sand the epoxy coat and apply first coat of varnish, second varnish coat after work then dry time for the transfer to the hall Friday night.
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Three hours between early this morning and tonight, 74 total. Put on final top coat. That's eight layers,
- Pre-stain
- Stain 1
- Stain 2
- Spar urethane 1 (Crest goes on)
- Spar urethane 2
- Marine Epoxy
- Spar Varnish 1
- Spar Varnish 2
Makes for a deep luster, with UV light protection.
Dry time till Friday night when it goes to it's permanent home. Likely do a little underside sanding of drips and clean-up tomorrow night.
And the crest of the best Fire Department in Canada...
Friday night it gets connected to the base at the Fire Hall
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You know we're gonna wanna see the crew's reaction, right? 3
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Another couple hours today. 76 to date. I'm going to figure on 80 hours to build one of these. Today I cleaned up the underside edge, touched up the finish along that area and a couple spots on the top, then prepared the dowel pins for attachment. I made them so the diameter was a bit loose where the fit into the apron rails but tight on the table cleats. that will allow the top to 'float' as it needs to for expansion/contraction.
A quick jig for tapering and testing the diameter of the dowels.
The 'go bag' for tomorrow night, including my new toy, a 20 volt brush-less Dewalt drill
Miz Debbie doesn't like be being upstairs in the big house when I'm in my natural sawdust state, but I'm the boss when she's out shopping, I'll tell you whut.
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They will appreciate the labor of love carried out with such careful workmanship.
I await hearing about the guys's reactions.
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