Comments on: An (Inadvertent) Breaking of the ‘Rules’

By: clifft

clifft — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:42:06 +0000

Megan, I use pine almost exclusively which I can get
rough cut any size I want from my neighbor’s sawmill.
Mostly mixed up analine dye and then finished with
several coats of shellac, and finally paste wax.
Dye leaves a swirly pattern, not even,
but then each piece is unique and quite acceptable.
- everything is non toxic.
Now I must try shoe polish for something even simpler.
thanks

By: gumpbelly

gumpbelly — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:20:01 +0000

It`s possible you will get an abundance of answers here, as it falls into the “more than one way to skin a cat” category. I prefer to bring the tool to the sheet goods approach, so I would use a circular saw guided against a well clamped straight edge. First is the blade, a good quality plywood/laminate blade will give a smoother edge. I would put blue painters tape on the cut line, and lay the entire sheet you are cutting on a piece of 1″ pink insulation board. I would do the cut where I was comfortable, for some it`s on top of sawhorses (me), others like to do it on the grond. I`ve had great success in protecting the edge from splintering doing it this way.

By: smiley1958

smiley1958 — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:31:30 +0000

I love working with wood, I have built many things over the years, and now I am building a pantry, I am good with wood, but I have a shelf that is made out of pre-laminated particle board, can anyone tell me, whats the best way to cut it without getting any chipped edges?.

By: mvilhauer

mvilhauer — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:25:26 +0000

While in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, I noticed a great deal of woodworking with hand tools. One of the favorite tricks of the artists was to take inexpensive white wood, coat it with shoe polish and buff it to shine like ebony. It’s a great trick.

By: tsstahl

tsstahl — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:53:53 +0000

Great. Now I gotta find a horsehair brush to begin the spit shine on my shelves.

By: mvflaim

mvflaim — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:44:25 +0000

Megan, I deal with Big Box hardware stores ona daily basis as a sales rep for a building materials manufacturer. Trust me when I say this. They suck! It’s better off buying your supplies from local mom and pop hardware stores any day.

By: Mitch Wilson

Mitch Wilson — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:12:21 +0000

Megan, your next ICDT project should be a nice shoe shining box. Good place to keep your Briwax.