Prodigal Ponderings — DIY RSS



Rolling Up Our Sleeves

A New Year always brings contemplation of the past and anticipation of what is to come.  Like most, we find ourselves pondering all that is ahead and how we can be more productive. This past year has been a real "learning curve" for us in that not only have we expanded our woodworking, we've also had to tackle the daunting task (for us anyway:) of this website, social media, and even taking the plunge into the world of weekend markets.  It's been both exhilarating and exhausting at times!  If you're reading this, however, you're the reason we keep at it.....  because we love the opportunity to engage with others sharing what we make, what we learn, and what we love.........

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DeWalt 735x Planer............A Beast!

As far as planers are concerned I'm not sure you can get any better than the DeWalt DW735X.  The motor on this baby is powerful and the blades cut evenly and flush; even the hardest of hardwoods. I purchased my planer almost a year ago and have made about 3 dozen end grain cutting boards along with various other woodworking beauties.   I've used everything from Hard Maple to Walnut to Bubinga -one of the most beautiful yet also one of the hardest woods there is, and oftentimes a blade killer; despite this my Dewalt planer keeps producing quality results time and again.  Nothing will ruin a planer quicker than planing end grain boards, but the DeWalt 735X hasn't missed...

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Table Saw Jointer DIY

I recently purchased quite a bit of rough sawn hardwood from someone closing their woodworking shop.  Beauties like 8/4 walnut along with cherry, mahogany and maple were a welcome addition to my inventory; however since these boards were rough sawn they did not all  come with a straight edge.  In lieu of dropping $300 on a benchtop jointer or plenty more on a floor model I came up with a DIY solution for around $25.00. I purchased a pair of 3-Inch Hold Down Clamps (Grizzly G9589) and made a sled to run along my table saw fence.  Starting with a squared up piece 3 ½ “ wide oak (choose your length)  I glued a piece of ¼” plywood to the...

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My New Drill Press

After doing some research I purchased a WEN 8” 5 speed benchtop drill press as the latest addition to my workshop. (8" denoting that an 8" wide piece of wood is the maximum width one can center a drill hole)   This particular drill press received great reviews while having a very affordable price point ($77). Delivery came within a week, the setup was easy and within no time I was drilling straight, consistent holes that were not achievable with my handheld drills. About a month earlier I had agreed to make some small, simple wooden cars that would be placed in boxes and shipped around the world as part of our church’s Operation Christmas Child. I used basic 2...

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Don't Be Intimidated by Lumber Stores

  Being a guy means I suffer with a common problem of male ego. We don’t always like to ask for help nor do we like to feel intimidated by what we don’t know.  My first few trips to the lumber yard shopping for quality hardwoods were all about breaking that barrier.   On my first trip I was asked by different employees if I needed some help, but I kindly replied “no thank you” and proceeded to walk around, observe the variety of woods, trying to not to look like I was new.  After 30 minutes of “wandering” I finally swallowed my pride and went up to a guy and asked for help….and help I got!  After that, it...

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