I just finished my first woodworking class and made a table.
Overall I’m happy, but some of my measurements were slightly off and it affected the appearance of the project.
My question is: are there ways to get better at making measurements and cutting. I feel like I measured and remeasured, but with the sanding and gluing, things got thown off.
Should I have overcut the wood or undercut to account for sanding and stuff like that?
best,
g
Replies
g,
I almost always overcut and sneak up on final domensions. It's just the way I work wood, not necessarily right.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
One way -- leave the ruler in your pocket, and take measurements directly off the mating piece, or even off your full-size drawing (I like story poles).
I'm measurement-challenged, so I'll avoid a ruler if at all possible.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Sanding is primarily a final step to remove scuff marks, dirt, and the like just before you go on to applying a finish. If you are sanding pieces before glue up you are sanding at the wrong time. There are as always, exceptions to this, but sanding is basically a finishing step that should remove very little wood.
If you are removing enough wood by sanding that you are changing the dimensions of the stock you are also sanding more than you need to and you should figure out why you have to sand so much.
You should never sand a surface that will become part of a joint the sanding will round and distort the surfaces making a clean tight join difficult or impossible.
John White
GLASTARZA
Are you starting with power tools, or hand tools?
I had this problem all the time when I first started out. I realized that I was trying to cut things to close with my power tools, and then using my "adjustment tool" the ROS to make things fit. Then it finally came to me that that was what planes were for. So I now aim to cut to about 98% of the way there, and then use planes, chisels and files to get the rest of the way.
There are numerous "tricks" to reduce this problem and the man or woman who can find a way to eliminate it will become incredibly wealthy - lol
Most of my mistakes occur because I'm left handed and read a tape upside down. At least once a day, I'll read 3/8" when it's actually 5/8", etc. I've managed to reduce the cutting errors by measuring everything twice, but still manage to mess something up once in a while.
One of the most effective methods I've found is to get as much mileage as possible out of a single setup. If I'm cutting plywood for cabinet carcasses, for example, I carefully set up my rip dimension and check it 2-3 times. Then I make ALL of the rip cuts I'll need at that dimension.
Most of my crosscuts are made with a sled on the TS - or with my SCMS. When crosscutting, I oh so carefully set up the first cut then I set a stop and make all the crosscuts of that length.
These things take time and some planning, but can really simplify things. One other thing to remember is that being slightly off on a dimension isn't necessarily the end of the world as long as the associated parts are the same. I can usually live with a carcass width being off by 1/16" as long as it's still square. Trying to work around an out-of-square carcass is a MAJOR PITA!! - lol
thanks for your reply.
i'm left handed too and it's a total pain. i'm sure that's got something to do with the problem. best,
g
Never say that being left handed is a problem. The problem is all those damned righies!! - lol
I hope there aren't too many left handed surgeons out there!!!!
James
I don't think I know any left handed surgeons, but I once knew a left handed oral surgeon. He had been right handed until a rattlesnake bit him on the right index finger. The finger atrophied and he was forced to re-learn his profession from the "other" side.
I'm a lefty and They sell a left handed tape, but its not aboslutely necessary. For me the key is use the same tape. Using several will result in issues. I have several and they will read slightly different. Another thing I use to do that I don't anymore is go ahead and cut all the pieces off a cutlist. I start with some base pieces and cut the mating pieces as I assemble. I'm getting better at it, and in the end, if your off by a quarter inch, but all parts are off by the same amount it will turn out ok.Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Another Lefty here,
Your leftyness wont impair measuring or layout.
Some machines still bother me after twenty years! The most obvious is the skill saw. I'll admit it I
switched to a worm drive cause the blades on the left.
I measure right to left and left to right, so I found that the lefty/righty tape measure by Fastcap very handy. Available at http://www.eagleamerica.comWork Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Hi Dave,
Not sure if you knew this but Lee Valley makes/sells a left handed measuring tape, or at least they used to.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob -
Yeah, I know about those left handed tapes, but I ain't giving in. Us lefties will prevail.........................someday. - lol
i'm a beginner, but:
measure as little as possible and then use stop blocks / fences / etc to do the duplication for you. also important to cut all pieces w/ that measurement at the same time. if you don't, you won't be able to get the exact same measurement again.
does it really matter if a pice is 11" or 10 15/16" as long as their all 10 15/16"?
i didn't see Dave45 's post before posting this one.
Edited 3/24/2008 4:16 pm ET by bww_maryland
As others have been saying you can avoid measurements almost entirely.
Make parts the same length--generally it matters not whether a table leg is 27 1/2" or 28 1/4", but is quite critical that they all be the same length. If you must measure the first leg do that, and then make all the others using that first one as a reference without looking at the tape again.
If certain parts must be the same width, rip them all with the same setting of the rip fence. Similarly with thickness. All parts that need to be the same should be run in sequence through the planer without changing the final settings. Stop blocks keep cross cuts the same length.
Mortices and tenons should always be measured from the same reference surface--for typical tables that is the outside of the leg and the outside of the aprons. Use a marking gauge, not a ruler to set them up. If doing them by hand set the gauge directly from the chisel. Adjust the gauge to fit the actual mortise in order to gauge the tenon. If you keep the reference surfaces straight that will give you aprons that are almost exactly flush with the tables.
Use marking knives instead of pencils to mark cuts for joints. Then cut in the middle of the knife mark.
These things will become more and more second nature as you continue to make things, so not to worry. Also remember that you are the only one that sees most of the "errors", if others don't say anything it isn't because they are just being polite, but because they really don't see what you see.
Also remember it is quite normal for you always to feel there might be something to improve upon in the next project. I've heard that from experience professionals making pieces to the highest standards. It's how humans learn.
thanks for the response....
best,
g
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