CVRIV, EE Work Bench, 12-30-2015 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2015, 04:36:07 pm
content: Hello everyone:) I'm going to log my work bench build here. I already acquired all the wood needed to create the bench surfaces, about 65 beams total. I bought about 32 - 2x3's and about 32 - 2x4's. I bought the 2x3's because they are a little bit cheaper, much lighter in color, and will save some cutting time. I got them mainly because they are a lot lighter in color than the 2x4's, which are douglas fir's. I want to alternate being the two types to create a striped appearance. I think it will look cool.I also received all the plumbing need for this build as well. I immediately noticed a problem with the flanges I bought. First, there's suppose to be 30 of them, there's only 29. No big deal seeing that I only need 28. The big annoyance though is that there are 3 difference manufactured types. The mounting holes for one of the types, do no match up with the mounting holes of the others. I immediately began to panic, but found out there is a way to arrange them so that all the flanges that need the mounting holes to align will align. So I don't have to cut any of them to make them fit together. The only sucky thing is that a few of the hole patterns to be cut into the main working surface will be slightly different. When I assemble it, specific flanges have to be used in specific places. Suck.Total money spent so far........... 400 bucks.I attached several pics of previous items I have build using wood. It should give you an idea of the quality you should expect. One of the pictures of the desk shows the side of one of the surfaces. This is exactly what the bench surface will be like.

author: skipjackrc4
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2015, 04:50:41 pm
content: That's a fantastic looking bench!

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2015, 05:19:25 pm
content: OK. You've got some skills there.Given what you've already built, it should look rather nice when you're done with it (really like the computer bench).

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 01:33:57 am
content: Thanks. Hopefully tomorrow I will get started. I actually got sick the other day so I've been in bed all day.While in bed I was thinking about the flanges not all being the same and it's freaking killing me. I dont know if I want to drill two different hole patterns into my surfaces, that are going to be a hell of a lot of work to make.

author: SteveP
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 01:57:04 am
content: Redrill the flanges. That metal isn't super-hard.If you're anywhere near the SF Bay area, PM me and I'll give you a hand...your work is too nice to get messed up for lack of a few holes in something.Edit: Ooops. Never mind, I see you're on the other side of the country....--Steve

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 02:26:53 am
content: Quote from: SteveP on January 01, 2016, 01:57:04 amYea I could do that, I have a large drill press. But there are seven of them, 4 holes each. And the holes are only maybe an 8th of a inch off so I would need to get a milling bit to do that. I emailed the company I bought them from to see if I can bring them back and have them matched. I have 19 of one type, 7 of another, and 3 others. They would just need to replace at the very least, 7 of them. But I'd like all 10 replaced because they look different. I could easily hide the ones that look different, but im so much of a perfectionist that it would still kind of bother me. Not as much as drilling two different holes patterns though. We'll see what happens.

author: SteveP
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 01:51:40 pm
content: LOL! Your perfectionism is way beyond mine--in my case, if I can't see it, it won't bother me :-)I look forward to seeing your solution...--Steve

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2016, 09:42:27 pm
content: Quote from: SteveP on January 01, 2016, 01:51:40 pmI can't say whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. Sometimes I see it as an illness. I have thrown away perfectly good stuff because of the stupid fact that I didn't like the process of which something was made. It wasn't a smooth enough process or I figured out a better way to do something that would give me the same result. It's borderline insanity, but there are times that I love it. Being such a perfectionist has it's benefits as well.I sent the supplier an email about the flanges. I asked If I could swap out the flanges that are different for flanges that match the rest. They probably wont email me back till monday. If they do not respond I will call them. It's not like im asking for a refund or anything. I just need matching flanges. Im surprised I got different types especially considering that I bought two boxes of them.I'm as sick as a dog. I only got a minimal amount of work done. I cut all the beams for the main work surface to length and set up the room to start cutting them down for mating. I still have to square the table saw first.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2016, 06:08:44 pm
content: 01-04-2016So i went back to the plumbing supply store and they replaced all of my flanges with matching flanges. They all look the same and all the mounting holes align perfectly. Awesome! The woman that was helping me out, Selma, knew exactly what I was talking about when I said I was making furniture. She said she has a few guys that frequent the store asking for the same thing, because they too make furniture; everyone else doesn't usually care about the parts matching.Anyways, I started cutting and I'm just about done with the main surface wood. When I'm done doing those I will start cutting the wood for the shelves. My table saw has been going into overheat protection for some reason. I think maybe once back in the day it happened, but now it's happened like 3 times now. I dont get it. So I have to wait for it to cool down so I can start again.

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2016, 06:48:23 pm
content: Dull blade? Or cutting too fast?

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2016, 06:52:46 pm
content: Can also happen if the fence isn't properly aligned, which causes the material to bind between the fence and the body of the saw blade.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2016, 06:56:37 pm
content: I think its a few reasons as to why the motor is overheating. The blade isnt dull, I know that. I think one of the main reasons is that some of the wood is warped. Normally I would trim down the wood in such a way that I would cut away the warped curve of the wood. I would do this by pairing the piece of wood with a straight piece of wood and sending them both through the saw and I would only skim cut too.The thing is that these pieces are 7' long so I cant really do that. Also, I have so many of them that I cant waste time skim cutting them all. So, while cutting the warped wood, its putting some pressure on the blade while cutting. I have to cut stupid slow to keep this from happening.I might skim cut some of the shelving pieces because they are only 5' in length.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2016, 07:00:46 pm
content: Quote from: ajb on January 04, 2016, 06:52:46 pmThis I know and was checked. The blade is hot from friction but it's not because of the fence or a dull blade. Cutting with the grain of wood causes problems too because its a tougher cut. Im also using a 60 tooth blade as well for fine cuts, but i've always used this blade. I increased the blade height for more of a rip cut to help decrease some of the work.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2016, 04:17:58 pm
content: going to have some pics later. i have been working on the bench. most of the cutting is done. i have to cut the last side of each and then i can start to think about gluing them all together. there are some bad pieces of the wood in the mix. several of them. i might have to glue and a few pieces together at a time and form smaller units first. once those smaller units are done i will probably send them through the table saw to straighten the mating edges better.i had to buy some more clamps for this project as well. i bought 4 more 3/4 inch pipe clamps at 4 feet in length and 4 smaller sized 24 inch clamps.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 12:08:44 am
content: 01-09-2016Definitely have to glue this whole thing together in units.

author: cvriv
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 05:03:46 pm
content: Before gluing and during the gluing process...