Tormek vs. Vintage Wet Wheel Bench Grinder

To call them bench grinders is, I have discovered, an offense to owners of wet-wheel tool-sharpening rigs.  A grinder, you see, hogs metal off of a blade.  A wet-wheel, on the other hand, is a precision machine capable of sharpening tool steel that only honing with a leather strop could sharpen it further.  The differences between "grinders" and "wet wheels" range from

The Collectors

Who are the collectors? Collectors are everywhere, of course. You have your stamp collectors, the baseball card collectors, the (lucky few) car collectors...pretty much anything that's ever been made has been - or is currently - collected. I'm something of a collector myself, boasting a stereo that is way too big for my living room, and a basement piled with vintage speakers and tube amps in various states of repair. In general, I have no problem with collectors. I even admire those collectors who find and repair older items so that future generations can enjoy their (often superior) quality.

But there is one type of collector I'm really starting to dislike:

Rockler: my go-to Woodworking Store

I love my local woodworking store.  It's called Rockler, and it's in Porter Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  There are, apparently, Rockler stores throughout the U.S., and they have an online store as well.  Rockler's closest competition is a chain called Woodcraft, and another competitor is the online retailer Lee Valley.  But so long as Rockler carries what I want to buy (they occasionally don't), I will always go to them.  Why? Read on:

Festool's Proprietary Bench Dogs: a Step too Far

Engineered Incompatibility: a Festool Core Design Principle

Anybody familiar with Festool probably also knows that the company's tools tend to not fit industry standard accessories.  For example, Festool's TS-series plunge-cut saws ride on a guide rail, but won't fit into rails that fit most other circular saws.

Festool's Not Just for The Pros: Quality Tools are even More Critical to the Inexperienced User

Festool from a Novice's Perspective
The first time I walked into my local woodworker's store, I was seeing most of the power tools on the market for the first time.  I had never used a router or band saw, and had never heard of a jointer or thickness planer.  Until that day, my only exposure to woodcraft was through my contractor friends (who also hadn't heard of a jointer) and memories of my dad's hobbyist hand tools.

Ikea Expedit Clone - From Reclaimed Heart Pine

My girlfriend and love of my life (xoxo MyMy :-) has been in need of shelving. And she was getting tired of waiting for my cabinetry skills to improve beyond bookshelves. So when she pointed to the Ikea Expedit shelf and said "We need this for our daughter's toys...NOW" - I figured it was time to leave the world of bookshelves and tables and make a proper case.

Luckily, I didn't end up trying to make a real cabinet, carcase and all.  Instead, I decided to build a clone of the Ikea piece.  With a couple of tweaks, of course.

A bookshelf becomes a coffee table: Thanks to my Delta X Jointer

I have been on a roll recently: in spite of being a total newb when it comes to furniture-making, I have completed two (that's right TWO ;) bookshelves of acceptable functionality and workmanship.  Both of them look great from thirty yards.

When I decided to give bookshelves another go, I decided to get fancy.  I made a jig for my Delta 1 3/4 HP hybrid saw, and cut 3-degree angles in each side of the case, to give the shelf a back-sloping look.  To add to the sloping effect, I laid a stripe of curly maple between two wide planks of mahogany, and cut the bases 90-degrees to the 3-degree slope, so the white maple stripes would slope backward as well.   AWESOME!

But then, while having a conversation with a friend and cutting the dadoes to hang the shelves, I cut one set of grooves on the wrong side of my beautiful laminated, sloping sides!  Since they were sloping, I couldn't just flip the one side over.  My shelves were kaput.

But then I had an idea: What if I put the sloping edged head-to toe, then straightened the edges on my Delta?  Then I'd have a beautiful table top.

Bookshelf Number Two, Part Two: Completion

Confident after my "successful" completion of a bookshelf from plans, I decided to build a similar shelf, but with a few of my own modifications.  Chief among my mods: through-tenons joining the top and bottom shelves to the case.  I also chose to go in another direction aesthetically: instead of the reserved, all-mahogany design of the shelf from plans, my second shelf used three types of wood, and I went for an art-deco theme.

Here are the results:

I am pretty satisfied with the through-tenons.  Of course, if you look closely you'll see some mahogany wood filler around the joints.

The pitfalls of amateur design are obvious: after all, who needs such high shelves in a case so shallow?

But hey, not bad for my first through-tenons and first self-designed (and finished piece :)

Stay tuned for the tale of my third bookshelf, which had to become a coffee table after an unfortunate error with a dado blade...

Bookshelf Number Two

After the success of my first bookshelf - which i made from plans, and which used dado grooves to hold the shelves - I decided to do the same shelf again - but this time using through-tenons and mortises to hold the top and bottom shelves, and using three (yes, three) different woods in the construction.  I was going for an art-deco look.  And I got it.  But in the end, it was too gaudy for my taste and I let it go to some friends who really liked it. 

Above: my first bookshelf.  Finished in satin poly/oil finish, and with the top back-piece finished in super-shiny, thick epoxy glaze.  On the right is a close-up of the glazed top backing.

Below: My second bookshelf.  Wood used is curly maple, mahogany, and purple heart.  The cross-shapes on the sides are created when the vertical strips of purple heart cross over the mahogany through-tenons of the top and bottom shelves.  NOTE: this pic is BEFORE I added the "art-deco" style crown of vertical pieces. 

Next stop on the cabinetry train: the ultimate stereo component rack :)

-isaac

Small Bookcase, Part I

I have begun a carpentry project using plans from a book I bought from my friends at the Rockler Store in Cambridge. 

So far, things are going ok.  But I have noticed a few things I didn't expect.  First of all, the 3/4" mahogany from Boulter Plywood in Somerville Massachusetts is exactly 3/4" thick.  What a bummer!  Since all boards are warped and need to be joined and planed, you can't actually get a 3/4" board from Boutler Plywood.  The mahogany I found on sale at Rockler in Cambridge, Mass, on the other hand, came in at about 14/16" - a reasonable margin that at least gets you close to a final 3/4" thickness if you select your boards carefully.

To be fair, the plywood from Boulter is of good quality, they serve it up custom-cut quite quickly, and they've got a treasure-trove of hardwood plywood types that give you extreme bang-for-the-buck as well as a very flat and stable board that's inexpensive and looks almost as good as real hardwood. 

I also found that the mitre gauge that came with my Delta 1 3/4 h.p. contractor's saw doesn't stop quite at 90 degrees perpendicular to the blade.   I used a piece of padouk wood for a fence, and planed it down a hair across the face to correct the angle.  But I fear further warping of my fence.  Do i have to buy a pre-made mitre gauge or even a crosscut sled?

Using my Delta X5 joiner and DeWalt tabletop planer, I milled 3-5" boards for the shelves and sides of my bookcase.  Since I had to use some mahogany from Boulter, I ended up with a thickness of 0.55" rather than the 0.75" called for in the plans.  Time to turn down those 3/8" dadoes to 3/4"!

I hope the shelves hold. :)

I also made an error in joining the sides: one plank on one side measures 44" rather than the 45" called for in the plans.  The mistake gave me an idea for the shape of the top of the case, which I hope to reveal later on next week.

In the meantime, take a peek at some beautiful mahogany joined boards.  One of them in particular looks great.  Too bad it's a shelf piece and not a side.

...And here we go on the dadoes.  No routing dadoes for me.  I am staying away from the beast for a little while...

Chest of Drawers FAIL!!

I recently got into woodworking, as a way to bring my designs for acoustical traps, component racks, and loudspeakers to life.  Those who've visited before may know my first project was a 2'x4' foam acoustic panel, and my second was a chest of drawers.

So ambitious was I!  Funny, so many people raised their eyebrows when I told them my first "real" project was a bureau.  The pinnacle of cabinetry and craftsmanship!  A nest of grooves, angles, and shapes that must be assembled in a particular order, and made with zero tolerance for errors in angle or dimension.  My own chest was based on the memory of a friend's similar chest I had looked at the previous week.  No plans, just the memory and a dream.

I proudly boasted on this blog that I expected to be finished with my chest in a matter of days.  But those paying close attention read on my blog that - mid-project - I discovered a tool called the joiner.  Turns out one requires a joiner in order to make a chest of drawers, and just about anything else requiring rectangular boards.  I got a joiner and made my drawers (too wide for my chest's carcase), and then I bit into the front edge of my chest while trying my first-ever flush trim with a free-hand router. 

Pressing on, I decided to build a new carcase, to fit the drawers I had made.  After fitting that one together, I discovered I had cut several of the side dadoes in the wrong places.  Another major FAIL.

It was then I realized that I needed to work from somebody else's plans.  I simply don't know enough about woodworking to design my own pieces yet.

:(

But I press onward!  Armed with a plan for a simple bookshelf, I am going to start with something slightly simpler, and see how I do...

Until next time, thanks for reading, and please come back soon!

-isaac

Hi-Fi University Articles Online

I have written several articles on the platform Hubpages over the past several months.  They range from educational articles about hi-fi stereos and home theaters, to reviews of gear I have owned.  If you're looking to buy a hi-fi in the near future, and you don't know much about the market, you may find these articles save you a lot of money. 

• Review of the Klipsch Heresy Speaker: http://hubpages.com/hub/Klipsch-Heresey-II-Review

• Bi-Amping and Tri-Amping.  Why and How: http://hubpages.com/hub/Bi-amping-and-Tri-amping-Why-and-How 
• Wattage for Stereos and Home Theaters Explained: http://hubpages.com/hub/Wattage-for-Stereo-and-Home-Theaters-Explained  
• What's the Difference Between Receivers and Separates? http://hubpages.com/hub/Vintage-Stereo-and-Home-Theater-University 

Enjoy!  And please leave your comments at the bottom of the Hubs :)
-isaac

Hi-Fi University Articles Online

I have written several articles on the platform Hubpages over the past several months.  They range from educational articles about hi-fi stereos and home theaters, to reviews of gear I have owned.  If you're looking to buy a hi-fi in the near future, and you don't know much about the market, you may find these articles save you a lot of money. 

• Review of the Klipsch Heresy Speaker: http://hubpages.com/hub/Klipsch-Heresey-II-Review

• Bi-Amping and Tri-Amping.  Why and How: http://hubpages.com/hub/Bi-amping-and-Tri-amping-Why-and-How 
• Wattage for Stereos and Home Theaters Explained: http://hubpages.com/hub/Wattage-for-Stereo-and-Home-Theaters-Explained  
• What's the Difference Between Receivers and Separates? http://hubpages.com/hub/Vintage-Stereo-and-Home-Theater-University 

Enjoy!  And please leave your comments at the bottom of the Hubs :)
-isaac

DIY backstop fence for faster, more accurate repeated cuts on the mitre saw

While I was making my first chest of drawers, I had to make a lot of repetitive cuts on the mitre saw: for the drawer faces, sides, and backs, and for the inner frame supports, guide rails, and cross-members.  My method of measuring each cut (I won't describe it here) was laborious, time consuming, and resulted in boards that were almost - but not exactly - the same length. 

Of course, in cabinetry, almost doesn't cut it.  Or at least it makes for a lot of extra work.

So I came up with a better solution: a backstop that slides to and from the saw, and can be clamped into position so repeated cuts are easy to set up, and more accurate from cut to cut.

To see more pics of my DIY backstop, and instructions on how to build it yourself, visit my Mitre Saw Backstop Hub.

Happy building!

DIY backstop fence for faster, more accurate repeated cuts on the mitre saw

While I was making my first chest of drawers, I had to make a lot of repetitive cuts on the mitre saw: for the drawer faces, sides, and backs, and for the inner frame supports, guide rails, and cross-members.  My method of measuring each cut (I won't describe it here) was laborious, time consuming, and resulted in boards that were almost - but not exactly - the same length. 

Of course, in cabinetry, almost doesn't cut it.  Or at least it makes for a lot of extra work.

So I came up with a better solution: a backstop that slides to and from the saw, and can be clamped into position so repeated cuts are easy to set up, and more accurate from cut to cut.

To see more pics of my DIY backstop, and instructions on how to build it yourself, visit my Mitre Saw Backstop Hub.

Happy building!

Chest of Drawers: Part II

Well, it has been more than a week since I proclaimed that I would be finished with my chest of drawers within two days.  What happened?  Jointing happened.  In case you don't know what jointing is, don't feel bad.  I didn't either, until last week. 

Last week, my friend Kiki and I were working on my chest of drawers.  We were cutting the Mahogany for the drawer faces.  For the taller drawers (two are designed to be 12" tall), we planned to glue two 6" boards together to create a flat 12" drawer face.  But when we put the two boards together, there was a gap between them in the middle.  Attempting to sand-away the sides of the boards only created new gaps elsewhere in the joint.  What was going on?  All the boards had been purchased pre-cut, and then we cut them to size on the table saw, so they should have been straight, right?

Wrong!  Boards from the store are NOT straight.  They may look rectangular, or at least flat on both sides and an edge, but they're not truly rectangular and parallel until they've been jointed and planed.  

Above: A jointer

Above: A planer

Luckily, I was able to find a killer deal on a planer, jointer, and 1 3/4 HP table saw.

So, now all of the drawer faces are jointed and planed.  The sides, bottoms, and backs of the drawers are dadoed and ready to be assembled into drawers.

Here we go!

Chest of Drawers: Part II

Well, it has been more than a week since I proclaimed that I would be finished with my chest of drawers within two days.  What happened?  Jointing happened.  In case you don't know what jointing is, don't feel bad.  I didn't either, until last week. 

Last week, my friend Kiki and I were working on my chest of drawers.  We were cutting the Mahogany for the drawer faces.  For the taller drawers (two are designed to be 12" tall), we planned to glue two 6" boards together to create a flat 12" drawer face.  But when we put the two boards together, there was a gap between them in the middle.  Attempting to sand-away the sides of the boards only created new gaps elsewhere in the joint.  What was going on?  All the boards had been purchased pre-cut, and then we cut them to size on the table saw, so they should have been straight, right?

Wrong!  Boards from the store are NOT straight.  They may look rectangular, or at least flat on both sides and an edge, but they're not truly rectangular and parallel until they've been jointed and planed.  

Above: A jointer

Above: A planer

Luckily, I was able to find a killer deal on a planer, jointer, and 1 3/4 HP table saw.

So, now all of the drawer faces are jointed and planed.  The sides, bottoms, and backs of the drawers are dadoed and ready to be assembled into drawers.

Here we go!

My Second Woodworking Project: A Chest of Drawers

I'm very happy with my latest project: building a chest of drawers.  I know, a chest of drawers is not a hi-fi-related item.  And yet I'm writing about a chest of drawers here on the Wicked Hi-Fi Blog because the chest of drawers in question is my second-ever woodworking project, and I'm using it as a test-bed for my next project: the ultimate stereo component cabinet.

Now, before looking at the pictures, I remind you this is my second woodworking project.  My first was a sound-absorbing panel, shown below.  The work shown took place over the past three days.

Here are pictures of my first chest of drawers, beginning with the four main vertical supports and the six internal rectangular frames.  I used a router, chisels, table saw, glue, clamps, and chop saw to make the chest so far.  For wood, I used poplar for the inner framing, birch plywood with walnut veneer for the side panels, and I plan to build the drawer sides and faces from African Walnut I bought on sale at Rockler in Porter Square in Cambridge.  I love that place.  Big up to Peter at Rockler for answering all my questions :) !! 

Here are the pics of the chest (Day One)

Here are the pics of Day Two:

As you can see, Day Two was productive: I finished all of the drawer guides, and placed, veneered, stained, and poly-ed the side panels.  I also crafted two laminated accent strips out of three strips of hardwood.  Here's how I made the accent strips:

And the final step on Day Two was the veneer/stain/poly of the side panels:

Tune in soon for pics of the rest of the project.  My goal is to have Maja using it by the morning of Day Five. :)

-isaac

Home Theater of Long Island Sucks; Brian Farley is Wack as Crack

Brian Farley at Home Theater of Long Island can go suck a duck.  On Nov. 2, 2009, I bought a Linn amp and pre-amp combo from his store - Home Theater of Long Island - through eBay.  I paid over $1,000 via PayPal that same day.

But weeks later, no gear!  I sent a message, and for the next month went back and forth with Brian, the owner.  On December 8 I called, and he was so smug:

"Oh, well, if I am not sending things out fast enough for you, then I will get right on it".  Oooh, buddy, if I were standing next to you, you wouldn't say that!!!

He wouldn't even send the gear express mail, in spite of the fact that he hadn't sent the gear in a month.  Jerk.  He offered no consideration except a thin and off-the-cuff "I apologize".

Let it be known:  Home Theater of Long Island won't go one inch to make their mistakes right.  Bad business.  You know it's true, Brian Farley of Home Theater of Long Island.  Ass.

The Dynaco ST70 Arrives, Working but Dirty

I have always wanted a tube amplifier.  Not a tube-based guitar amp, but a home hi-fi amplifier.  Something like a McIntosh MC-250 or Dynaco ST70 (here is a link to a good ST-70 repair and sales shop), two of the most popular tube amps in U.S. Hi-Fi history.  Nowadays, tube amps are still produced by niche hi-fi manufacturers.  There are also a number of tube amp kits available today as well - from companies like Velleman,

Tube amplifiers have a reputation for being for "audiophiles-only", but I have a feeling that if more people ever saw a tube amp, let alone spoke to somebody who owns one, these beautiful, elegant, amplifiers would be far more popular. 

So I decided to add one more person to the list of tube amp owners: me. 

When I unwrapped my "new" ST-70, I was pleased to see all of the precious vacuum tubes still intact.  When I finally turned it on all the way and hooked it up to a pair of 1960's vintage Klipsch Heresys (with refurbished drivers, of course), I was pleased.  Very pleased.  But I can't give my full report yet: I had to run off for the weekend before my new tubes warmed up. 

For now, here are some pics: