The Bench Saw Project III

Okay. I finally got this project pretty much wrapped up. First, here is what the saw looks like as a stand alone. Please note that I added a small dolly on the bottom to make moving it easier.



Using some 3/4"x3"x6' pine, I created a frame by centering and bolting them to each side being sure that the were flush to the top of the table and centered on the middle bolt hole on both sides.

I left several inches of space between the saw table and both table extensions to allow the blade guard and rip fence to function. The fence is a tight squeeze, but it works fine. for different saws you will have to play it by trial and error. In my case I measured off some space and used masking tape between the side beams to ensure I had enough clearance.

To that measurement I added the width of the table extensions (15-1/4") and the thickness of the end board - 3/4". I then subtracted 1/4" because I wanted to cut a rabbet for the table extensions to sit in and help keep them from sagging.

I unbolted both side pieces and made the cuts for length and cut 1/4" dado's in the ends to receive the end pieces to the frame. Then I cut the end pieces to fit and clamped all 4 together to check that I had cut everything square and they fit well. As it's often said, "Measure twice and cut once since we're all out of board stretchers."

Since everything fit and I was able to square the frame up with a framing square inside the clamps, I began cutting the rabbets. first, 3/4" deep using the rip fence and another board clamped to the saw table to keep the boards from moving. Then I cut them all to a depth of 1/4" and chiseled out the corners where the saw couldn't cut through.

Finally, I cut the table extensions to size. These came from the lumber store marked as shelves. I don't drive an SUV or pick-up to save gas money so I have to get my lumber in manageable pieces that fit in the car with the back seats down.

With the table all cut and dry fit, I drilled pilot holes and screwed everything together and bolted it to the saw. Here's the photo:



Here is another view from on top of a 6' ladder right above it:



Next, I thought legs in the corners would be great, so I took an 8' 2"x4" with few knots in it, and ripped it down into (2) 1-1/4"x8' boards. Using a 4' level (a 2' would work as well) I lifted the table until it was level and measured from the ground to the bottom of the frame. This 36" height worked well because I in my box of hardware last weekend, I had 4 bolts and t-nuts to use as feet. A t-nut is like a thin walled nut with a washer on the end which can be pounded into a hole so a bolt can be screwed in. Here is a link to what they look like.

I drilled the holes in the ends of the legs, pounded in the t-nuts and screwed in the bolts. Finally I lifted the legs up to the bottom of the table deck (the MDF shelf boards) and screwed the legs to the corners of the table top with wood screws on both the side and end pieces of the frame. Using the level, I was able to level the entire table by adjusting the bolts in the t-nuts.

Here is what the whole thing looks like now:



When I get to discussing routers, bits and how to get the most out of them, I'll cut the slot into the table deck additions for the miter gage.

At some point I should add some spreaders to the legs, but for the moment this will work for what I'm doing and I have other projects to work on.

Next up: Lumber - Where to get it cheap or free and storage in the shop.

The Bench Saw Project II

I am back in the shop and getting this project finished today. The object is to take an inexpensive bench saw and make it more like an expensive, full-sized, table saw by extending the tabletop with an in-feed and out-feed addition. This will allow me to cut longer pieces of stock more accurately and safely.

Once the project is complete, I will post photos which will make the directions make sense. Also, feel free to post questions in comments or e-mail for clarity on any steps.

I started last weekend with a rough drawing with no measurements on it. I decided that the best way to approach this project was on-the-fly and expecting changes as I go.

Last Tuesday, I outlined the beginning of the project and a couple of mistakes I made (Click here to read it).

The side pieces got bolt holes drilled in them to mount to the stock holes that came on the saw. If you have a saw with no holes, they can be drilled (and tapped if you have the means) to mount the frame. Once I got those mounted I measured from the table saw 3" to the front to accommodate the fence and saw guard, and 5" to the rear to accommodate the fence latch. I added the 17-1/2" from the two, 3/4" thick MDF (particleboard) table surfaces to both ends. These were intended to be shelves, but this project has repurposed them.

Now, with the table frame cut to size I cut dado's in the ends of the side pieces to receive the two end pieces. Finally, I will be putting a 1/4" wide groove, 3/4" deep in the frame where the MDF will sit to make it more stable.

Following that, I will rip an 8' 2"x4' length wise to make legs and use the router to cut groves for the miter gauge.

If all goes well, I'll post photos next. If it goes badly, I'll document that too.

Back In The Shop Tomorrow.

My short week at work is over and tomorrow I'll be back in the shop hopefully, wrapping up my current project.

In the mean time I think it's best to lay down a few rules for this blog.

The most important one it that every idea is good. They may not work, but building or trying to fix something and failing at it is still valuable in that you now know a way that won't work and can rule it out. Share your ideas and seek help and advice through the comments.

If you have a better way, please offer it, but I'll be deleting negative and inflammatory comments.

Don't expect to see your high school wood shop here. If you have the means for a set-up like that I am happy for you, but my goal is to help folks with portable and hand tools which are what most folks (like me!!!) have.

I definitely like discussing tools, brands and what will work best for a situation, I would appreciate it if "my DeWalt drill is better than your Makita" conversations take place somewhere else.

Those seem pretty simple, easy and fair.

Tomorrow I should be finishing the bench saw table expansion and will start using it to mill down some rough lumber. Come back tomorrow afternoon for that.

The Bench Saw Project

With today being the first day back from the long weekend and me having a Dr's appointment this afternoon, I didn't get any work done so I thought I'd describe the project and goal as well as cover what has been done so far.

The saw table itself is 17-1/4" deep and 26" wide. While that's a good size for smaller projects, if you want to rip an 8' 2"x4" you will either need another person or make the table bigger so you have more room to feed lumber as well as an outfeed table to support the stock once it's been cut.

This project will add almost 40" to the depth of the saw which will allow for longer pieces without comprimising the saw itself. Also, I will be able to use the frame as a miter saw table with an insert which I will make later.

If you look at the Delta TS200LS (a previous link will take you to Amazon.com where a photo exists) you will see it has (3) 1/2" holes on the left side of the table and (3) 3/8" threaded holes on the right. These will allow me to attach the additional deck to the factory table with hardware vs. clamps which can loosen at an inappropriate time.

Yesterday I worked out the frame of the deck and was able to obtain a couple of examples of why it's important to pay attention to the details as well as follow your plan.

The photo below is the side of the saw with the 3/4"x3" frame mounted to it. If you look closely at the bolt on the right, you will see where I measured for the hole from the outside of the hole to the outside of the hole, but laid it out inside to inside.



Then, to add insult to injury, I cut the dado's on the ends of both sides so I could get good, strong corner joints. Unfortunately, while I had marked the boards to be cut to length, I forgot to ACTUALLY CUT THEM.

Below you will see part of the problem this caused.



The metal ruler on the left side is showing how much material is extra. The bigger problem is that by this time, I had already drilled the holes to mount the frame and put the dado's on the ends. That meant I had to cut 6-1/2" off of each end and make new dado's.

I am good at doing this kind of stuff and I also mess it up from time to time, so when it happens, and it will, don't be hard on yourself. It's wood and somewhere out there, a tree is growing to replace it.

Panel Jig For The Circular Saw

Today I got some quality time out in the Workshop. I completed one project and began another as well.

The first project was a Panel Jig for my circular saw. It's likely the easiest project going but also one of the most handy. You will need three things:
1 - piece of plywood at least 1/4" thick (I used a 3/4" x 16" x 3-1/2' piece)
1 - piece of wood stock to be used as a guide 1/2" x 1/2" x4' wioul be ideal
6-8 wood/drywall screws that will not poke through both pieces of wood. (My 1/2" + 3/4" > the 1" drywall screws I used.)

The first and most important thing to do is ensure the guide stock is square. I ran it through the table saw on each side to ensure it was smooth and true. Here it is, a nice strip of left over oak.



Next I measured the distance from the outside of the bed of my circular saw to the closest side of the blade. In the photo below you are looking at the bottom of my saw. my thumb is on the side of the bed and my pointer finger is on the saw blade. The distance on mine is 5-1/4".



I set my combination square to 5-1/2" (wider than the measurement of the saw)and marked a line along the factory edge of the board. The square has a groove in one side of the ruler piece. If you place that side down, you can put the tip of the pencil slightly inside and get a pretty accurate line without a straight edge or chalk line. Below is the panel and the square.



Take the guide stock clamp it to the plywood and drill pilot holes for the screws. Remember, you can just drive the screws in the wood, but the material the screw pushes aside has to go some place and usually either splits the board or pushes out the side of the guide which you took the time to make square. Drill the screws into the pilot holes and you are just about in business.

The final step is to clamp the jig to the saw horses or your bench and run the saw along the guide and cut the base to a perfect fit for your saw.

Now there are three things to remember:

First - this jig is made for the saw blade that you cut the jig with. If you have another saw blade you want to use, flip the jig around and cut the other side to size. I cut mine with a plywood/panel blade because that is likely what I'll use it on.

Second - different blades have different thicknesses so be aware of them when laying out your work and cut in the correct side of the line. I have been off by 1/8" more than once because I cut on the wrong side of the line.

Third - be aware of the clearance under the motor of your saw where the guide will be. It may seem great to have a good and sturdy 1" tall piece of oak, but your saw blade will not go as low as it could and you won't be able to cut thicker pieces of stock.

The next project will be to turn my bench saw into a full side table saw with an feed and out feed table. This will likely take several days to complete but will make a $100 saw work like an $800 - $1500 saw. I have begun the layout and worked up a couple of templates and will document my progress tomorrow.

Happy Memorial Day!

$5 Worth Of Saws

As promised yesterday, here are my 4 favorite powered saws. None of these are hand saws as they are a lot of work and that's not anything close to a favorite of mine. Also, I do need to point out that I only own 5 powered saws.

The first two do the brunt of my hacking and slashing work. They are the Delta Shopmaster TS200LS Bench Saw and the Ryobi TS260 Miter Saw (Chop Saw). The bench saw was a holiday gift from my mother-in-law (Thanks again Ma!!!) The miter saw was given to me by a co-worker and came in a box of parts. An ill-fated repair for him was an excuse to upgrade and for me it was 3 hours of work to put it back together, correctly.



Also of note, both are 10" saws so I only need to maintain one set of blades. It would be great to have a set of fine, crosscut and ripping blades for each, but I'd rather have some other tool and spent the extra few minutes swapping blades between the two machines.

Between the two of them, I get nearly all of my straight and angled cuts knocked out. Above I included a link to the Bench Saw which is available from Amazon.com in case you want to get one. It is a great and economical saw but is has a number of limitations. A few of my projects will be designed to make that saw overcome them.

I didn't for the Ryobi because they don't make them any more. They do, however offer repair parts and online schematics for repair, so keep that in mind and you go. It's garage sale season and many towns also have a large item pick-up day for trash collection. As a guy over 30, I don't care if someone calls me a trash picker!

So far, my total investment is time and two thank you's only.

The next saw does most of my bulk cutting and getting things like plywood cut down to a manageable size. It is the Skil 5550 Circular Saw. This was a birthday gift from my mother last year. (Thanks again other Ma!!!) It is a good weight, adjustable and I can add an edge guide to it if I need to. Also, it's extremely affordable.



This saw will be the center piece of our first project TODAY. A cutting jig that will make cutting plywood and large panels "Marine-proof."

Because this was also a present, my running tally is still $0, time and now three thank you's.

My last saw is all me!!! I found it myself and spent my very own money at a yard sale for $5. It's the Mastercraft 105112 Sabre/Jig Saw. This is an amazing tool even at full price! Picture this ... A Jig Saw that uses Sawzall blades. You could, conceivably, cut a car in half. This guy is well worn but completely serviceable. I use it for rough cutting, hacking up things with nails in it (remember - sawzall blades!) and disassembling hardwood pallets for the lumber.

The total investment for everything is $5, four thank you's and some time. That's a $350+ value for $5.

Next will be our first project, that cutting jig for the circular saw and on the back of it, we'll have a jig for perfect routing too!

Real-Time Free Stuff!!!

So, I scored yesterday, big time. As you may remember just as I was going to start with the saws, there was a listing on freecycle.org where they were giving away a box of of random tools and hardware. Well, he gave me about $40-$50 in machine and lag bolts, finish nails and glazing points for repairing older windows. There are several jars of misc. hardware like eye bolts and hooks, 2 shed door hinges, 3 heavy door hinges and 2 vintage (25+ year) planes. The planes need to be sharpened and one needs a handle repair, but both are very usable. The box also had 3 paint scrapers, 3 weed spears and a trailer hitch. Maybe I need a trailer.

I always have a need for fasteners, so I tend to grab it up when ever I find it. Fasteners, especially the lag screws and finish nails are always in short supply and you always find out you need them right in the middle of a project.

From a separate listing he gave me a cool bench grinder. It bolts to the bench top and is hand cranked, but it has a tool rest so I can maintain many of my edged tools. I think it may need a new grinding wheel, but they are cheap. The planers and my utility chisel may get a workout from this one.

Below are the photos.

I'm going out for much of the day today, so I will likely not post again until late this afternoon or this evening.

Before We Get To The Saws ...

I forgot to mention two of my favorite places to get free supplies. Always check the local craigslist.com and freecycle.org. Both can provide all kinds of stuff from tools to fasteners and lumber. Sometimes it's junk, but I've saved tons before.

Right now I am waiting to hear from some guy who has a box of loose tools, fasteners and a grinder. I'll keep you in the loop and post pictures if I score.

Safety Gear ... You'll Need It.

The most important safety equipment is the kind you will wear. By far the most popular type are the headphones which are useful for running snow blowers, lawn mowers and other equipment besides tools in the shop.

In the photo you'll see some hearing protection I got by asking for samples at a trade show. The Yellow "foamies" in the upper left are the cheapest, but they are also the least sturdy.

In the middle is a safety glasses lanyard that has earplugs mounted on cords to the lanyard. I prefer to use these The plugs do not get in the way when they are not in my ears and I can let the glasses hang around my neck while the plugs are still in my ears. These are very durable, easily cleanable and I have been using them for months without any problem.

The orange plugs are on a cord which can hangs around your neck keeping them handy. That style is a bit more durable than the yellow foamies, but not much. These are designed for day visitors to a plant where they will need to put them in and take them out several times before discarding them.

Rounding out the hearing protection are green and blue plugs are just like the ones on my glasses, however they are standalone and come are different sizes (by color).

Other items to get should include safety glasses/goggles, gloves and some dust masks for sanding. If you are doing some painting you may consider a respirator if you don't have good ventilation.

Finally, I use a back support because I have a torn disk and standing for long periods and lifting heavy things just hurts.

Here is a tip. Call the manufacturers of some of these things and ask for samples. The worst they can do is say no. I feel compelled to add that I don't think you should outfit yourself entirely with samples.

Next I think I'll go over to my three favorite saws (bench saw, chop saw and circular saw), look at the accessories and begin the first project: making a bench saw into a full-size table saw.

Clearing Out & Cleaning Up

So here we are at the beginning. I think the most important thing to do is clean up the space, really look at what you have and decide what you need. To the right you can see I need a maid!

That is saw dust on the floor and about 200 lbs of tools, trash and junk on the work bench.


I found a temporary home for everything, swept out the joint and cleaned the gunk off the work bench. Below you will see the results. It was important to clear off the bench to have a place to do glue ups and work out projects on paper.

Welcome to the Frugal Workshop!

As you can see, it's a mess and not really a workshop yet.



My name is Jason and I love wood working/fixing things. Fortunately, since the economy is swirling around the bowl, my hobby is going to be pretty useful.

I grew up in a family of contractors and building material professionals. Even my mother is famous for saying, "Let's buy an old house and fix it up. It'll be fun!" It was for all 10 years we renovated the homes we lived in until I enlisted in the Marine Corps.

I spent over a decade in the Marines and between formations & deployments I was able to do a good deal of wood working. I even received a Navy Achievement medal for designing a mobile command post that could be inserted into the back of a Humvee (HMMWV) with all of the radios already set up and ready to go.

About 2 years before I was honorably discharged, I married a wonderful and extremely tolerant woman who means everything to me. So if I'm not blogging or doing things to blog about, I'm either at work or doing my best to keep her smiling!

When I got out we decided Maine was the place to be, so we moved up there and set up shop. I got a job selling and designing custom (ish) wall paneling and millwork. That job really opened a door for me as it was there that I was a guest on "Home Again with Bob Vila."

Here is a link to the episode on Bob's site: http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/HomeAgain/Video-1517-01-0.html If you are in the market for some really great wall paneling at a great price, the company worked for is New England Classic and here is their web site: http://www.newenglandclassic.com/

Now, I have a great job working which leaves me lots of free time to "tinker in the garage," which is what this blog is really all about. I will be showing you how to fix or outright replace stuff for little or no money as well as setting up a functional workshop as inexpensively as possible.

Over the course of the summer and fall, I will be building tools, making projects and repairing things. As I move into winter, I will very likely shift to designing projects as the garage is unheated and Maine winters tend to get a bit brisk.

So come back often and I will begin by offering a tour of the shop and where I got the cheap or free things in it. Also, I do have a few items I paid full price for or as gifts so I'll tell you about those and how to squeeze more work out of them than they can do right out of the box.

This afternoon the tour begins!