The right size extension cord (Supplying power to your tailed devils #2)

In March 2009 I wrote a little bit about electricity - this post is really a continuation of that one.  If you've ever finished with a tool and been surprised at how warm the cord was when you unplugged it, this post is for you.
Basically, the longer the extension cord the more resistance / friction there will be and the more likely that there will be a significant voltage drop - sometimes dropping it below the threshold where your electric motor tools will operate well.  Plus (added bonus!) if the extension cord is too anemic / wimpy, it can heat up or even melt.  Can you say fire hazard?  What to do about it?  The answer is to use an extension cord that is big enough for the tool.  Your tools may even last longer and perform better if you do.
This is a table that I derived originally from one posted on this site (well worth your time) but checked using other tables.  Length by Amps, results in wire gauge:

Remember that with wire gauge, like shotgun bore gauge, the smaller the number, the bigger it is.
To use this table for 110/120v circuits you'll need to know the amps used by your tools.  Mostly motors will be clearly (if somewhat microscopically) labeled with the amps used.  If not, you can derive amps from Watts by using the formula: Amps = Watts/Volts.  So, a 1400 watt blow dryer will draw nearly 13amps on the "high" setting.  No wonder the cord gets warm!  In the motor label picture Amperage is indicated "AMPS" but it is often abbr'ed to "A":

But wait!  This motor lists VOLTS as "208-240/115" and AMPS as "6.1-6.0/12.0" - be careful when reading such.  This is just indicating that the motor can be wired to use 220v instead of 110v.  Note that the 115 at the end of the volts corresponds with the 12.0 at the end of the amps.  This (12 amps) is the number you will use if you plug the tool into regular house wiring.  If the motor is only 110v, it will only have one A/Amp number to worry about.  So, using the above table you could using the following extension cords with the pictured motor safely: a 25' 14 gauge and a 50' 12 gauge extension cord... ...nothing longer than that!  And this is only a 1 Horse Power (HP) motor tool!  Here are some common tools and the amps they draw:  Circular Saw 12 to 15 amps.  Corded drill 3 to 7 amps.  Contractor's Saw / Table Saw 15 to 20 amps.  Router 4 to 6 amps.  Remember, your mileage may vary.  When it doubt, check the label.

As you can see, it pays to have a few different sizes and lengths of extension cords.  But how to pick out the right one for the job?  When you are buying an extension cord, the Gauge label will generally read 14/3 Gauge or 12/3, etc.  The first number (14 or 12 in our examples) is the gauge used in the above table.  the /3 means that there are 3 separate wires in the in the jacket of the cord - one for each prong on the plug: Green is  ground, Black is hot, White is neutral.  (Just like house wiring, except the Green ground wire is often just bare copper.  Switches and outlets often label the right terminal/bolt to attach that bare copper wire to by coloring it green.) Older 2 wire cords are missing the Green/Ground prong and are not as safe as 3 wire cords.  On new cords the gauge is often stamped repeatedly down the extension cord, but not marked at all on older ones.  Eventually you will be able to tell by hefting the cord - there is quite a big difference between the various gauges, also a large size difference.

When in doubt, the shortest thickest extension cord is the one to use.


For more information on extension cords, especially about voltage drop, this PDF is great.

Great article on how best to use your hand-held belt sander

This online article about using hand-held belt sanders on American Woodworker Magazine's website by Tom Caspar says it all, I don't have anything to add:
http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/techniques/archive/2009/02/22/tame-your-belt-sander.aspx
If you use a belt sander, it is worth your time to read it.  I know that when I next buy a large sander, it will be one with a sanding frame.  Until then, these tips will help make "Mr. Dusty" a lot more useful!

Reproduction Stickley hardware #2

Back in May of last year I whined about not being able to find good Reproduction Stickley / Mission hardware.
I especially bashed Rockler's offerings.  To be fair, I think Rockler's hardware is good, just not perfect.  Also, they have a variety of offerings not available most anywhere else.  But, I am on a mini "quest" to find great hardware and Rockler's isn't what I'm looking for.  I hate identifying a problem and not being able to find a solution.
However, I now consider a solution to be in hand.

Thanks to  Michael Pekovich, art director for Fine Woodworking magazine and his recent blog entries (really worth reading - about the value of mockups and living with (and modifying) mockups to improve the quality of your work) I've seen some great hardware!  Yep, the hardware is made by Gerry Rucks and is available through his website, Arts and Crafts Hardware.  This picture is what convinced me to check out his webpage.

Of course every silver lining has a rain cloud - this one is the pricing.  Gosh, it is almost like he wants to be paid for his beautiful work!  The funny part is, his prices are (well, some a lot higher, but some lower) comparable to Rockler's pricing for many of his items.  I know that I will be buying from Gerry sometime this year.

The above picture is from the Arts and Crafts Hardware furniture page, which looks to be made by Rick Fusco - very nice stuff!  I've always liked the Gus Stickley Bridal Chest.  The site isn't so huge that you will be buried in detail - I recommend you check it out.  You might find exactly what you have been looking for.

November Wedding Garden Arbor #3

I'm actually writing this at the end of January, 2010, but thought I would put this entry where it belongs, in November of 2009...  Sorry folks - have been busy, but will try and catch up a bit.

The Garden Arbor was a success!  You would think something so simple to make would have taken less time, but I barely had it done in time for the wedding.  There was a lot of prep-work (pre-painting things, and even selecting materials and paint that wouldn't look shabby too quickly) but even assembly took some time.

The treated wood that it is made from took a long time to dry - it was still damp-ish to the touch, 2 weeks after buying it.  We finally brought it into the living room to bake in front of a roaring fire as time was getting short.

The only major change to the design was not cutting out side "windows" in the lattice - I couldn't figure out a way to cut the vinyl lattice without it shattering somewhat - actually wasted a sheet attempting to cut good windows with a variety of hand and motorized tools.  After the wedding, I discovered that regular straight tin snips / shears make great cuts in the stuff - who would ha' thunk it.  I think it was the only tool I didn't try beforehand.  Circular Saws threw chunks, Jigsaws melted it rather than cut it, Hacksaws also melted it, Straight-cut router bits either melted it or threw chunks, depending on bit diameter... 

Oh, another change was that the side flower boxes weren't used in the ceremony - built, just not used.  The vine artificial flowers were used as shown and looked great though. 

My ability to cut out wooden hearts was sorely tested - we ended up buying those from a local retail outlet of Craft Warehouse.  The trim colors of Blue and Green for the hearts were a nice find.  The local ACE mixes small sample-size containers to try a color out - and at $4 each there was plenty left over.  I'm very glad I didn't have to buy a quart of each!

Treated and "Marine Grade" wood was used throughout so it should last a good many years!

Congratulations Jeremy and Natalia!

Ikea, Glue Blocks, Ikea Hacking and Bob Flexner

I don't like Ikea.  Don't get me wrong, some of their stuff is great, but when it comes to their non-wood flat-pack furniture made out of that press/chip/particle/fiber/wafer board, I'm not a fan.  Sure, it is finished really nicely, but it isn't wood.   This "rant" applies to all of the ilk, not just Ikea.  I've heard people have good success with things like kitchen cabinets and closets that you build in, and never move.  But after a few years go by and moisture gets under the finished surface, or a corner curls, or a screw or two gets loose in a hinge...  Well, you get the idea.  Don't get me wrong, some of their real wood furniture items really do wear well. However, as most of their furniture is flat-packed (flat case pieces, bags of fasteners and other hardware and a couple simple tools to assemble them with) and made to be assembled without glue or clamps, the joint is usually a mechanical one - the quick / cam metal fasteners are holding the piece together.  Nothing wrong with that...  ...until you move it.  Metal fasteners are stronger than wood and they don't give.  Ikea engineers do a pretty good job of making sure that the furniture can resist the stress of normal use, but as soon as something gives a wracking force jolt, the metal hardware will do its best to keep things together, but what ends up "giving" is the MDF / chipboard - it will flake, dent and delaminate if you look at it wrong.  And, as soon as a piece starts to get wiggly, it is only going to get worse.
Ok, woodworkers / cabinet makers are not the target audience of flat packed furniture.  However, I'm sure I'm not the first that has been roped into assembling one, or been asked to fix after it has started going bad.
I have a couple suggestions:
First, use glue - it isn't going to help as much as if the product was wood, but it will help a lot.  Some people think glue and Ikea are a bad combination, but the basic argument is that it makes it take longer to assemble, and you lose the flexibility of being able to break it down later.  Well, most folk I know don't move so often that this is an issue.  But, something to consider if you are putting something together for a teen or someone college-age.
Second, replace flimsy backs with plywood.  A lot of Ikea backs are just for show, not to prevent wracking stress.  Some of their backs are only 2mm thick, and are basically finished paper.  If you want, you can glue that back to plywood, and then attach it to the case.  I got this tip from my friends Don and Sue, who replaced the backs of some of their bookcases many years ago to help make them more earthquake proof / allow them to secure them to the wall.

Third, replace screws with nuts and bolts (not always possible, mostly screws are used for blind-side applications.)  Screws strip out.  Not all Ikea screws are the nice Spax (shown at left) or Confirmat screws that are made for MDF / particle board. But, when you can, upgrade fasteners.  Sometimes the upgrade has to be gluing hinges rather than replacing fasteners.  FYI, Spax screws are available at both Lowes and Home Depot & although you still need to pre-drill, you don't need to use a special drillbit like you do for Confirmat.  You do have to be careful using them in plywood though.
Fourth, use Glue Blocks.  The reminder I got for doing this was from Bob Flexner, in this article. Glue blocks have been used forever, why not use them to upgrade Ikea furniture stiffness?  Glue blocks for Ikea furniture will do (potentially) three things - give you more surface area to glue two elements that join at 90 degree angles, provide a 90 degree square for assembly and (if needed and is possible to do in a way that won't show) allows you something to anchor screws in.  Yep, when you can, pre-drill and drive drywall screws through the chip board, into the hardwood blocks you've added, for more strength.
Finally, if you are stuck with an Ikea product that is falling apart, and wasn't doing exactly what you wanted to anyway - hack it!  These folk repurpose Ikea stuff for some fun results.  I especially like this one.
Oh, another good tip is that Ikea does sell replacement parts - handy if a leg or bit of hardware fell off during a move.  If a panel was damaged, consider replacing it with plywood - same arguments as for using glue blocks, above.
To conclude, I still like used solid wood furniture better than new Ikea.  But if you have to deal with it, I hope the above tips help.

"My favorite American Communists" (and their boxes)

Referring of course to The Shakers.  I can't take credit for the phrase, that belongs to Roy Underhill, author of many books, host of the PBS show "The Woodwright's Shop" and now master of his own woodworking school.  I wouldn't give up any important bits of anatomy, but I really would like to go to any class he teaches!  (End of digression)
I don't want to get into who the Shakers were as a people / culture, I just want to gush about their legacy of fine craftsmanship.  Many of the forms I first identified (in my naivete) as being "Craftsman" or "Arts and Crafts" belong to the Shakers.  They were the first to eschew ornamentation of form for the higher beauty of function and simplicity.  They made many fine things and there are plenty of books out there about their works.  Today I just want to talk about Shaker Boxes.
In the days before Tupperware, Shaker oval boxes and other variations on this form were some of the best lightweight ways to store things.  A couple of thin, steam bent hoops sized on forms, secured to themselves as well as their flat oval lid and bottom boards with wooden pegs and copper tacks and there you are: "green" biodegradable storage that can last forever, with care.
Pictured at the left is John Wilson with his work.  He has the best website for all things related to making or buying modern Shaker Boxes.  If you are interested in making these, his catalog is required reading. For one thing, I'm not sure you can buy the copper tacks anywhere else. "The copper tacks used in oval box construction are made on machines that date back to the 1800’s. Our machines were acquired from the W.W. Cross Nail Co. when they ceased tack manufacturing in 1991. We currently make nine sizes of tacks plus the ½” copper shoe peg used for securing top and bottom boards when copper is preferred in place of wood pegs."  Shaker boxes range from 000 (tiny) to size 12, although I've seen pictures of larger coffee table sized boxes.  Each size nests into the next larger size.  Eventually I will try my hand at a stack of these.

November Wedding Garden Arbor #2

A couple of people emailed me asking what I meant by "lattice" and "flower boxes" so this post is mostly about the rough pic showing most of what I was talking about.  The top will have lattice too, but attempting to draw lattice conforming to a curve in an orthographic projection using MS Paint is beyond me!  Eventually I'll figure out how to do it in SketchUp, but for now, shrug.
In thinking about this design, I think if I had the skills and right tools, I would make the Arbor frame out of powder coated welded steel for durability and to give it a more "airy" feeling & to allow it to survive outdoors longer.  Vinyl instead of wood lattice was selected by the couple for its durability.  But, wood for the frame is warmer to the touch and more relaxed than formal & it will be beautiful.  (Fingers crossed)
Oh, in this Home Depot picture you can see what I was talking about regarding wood patches to tie the top and the sides together.  I'm glad we can do without those!