I am filling in a rotten section with epoxy resin. I tried taping it up and it leaked so I wrapped it in a bag and hopefully that seals up. Probably going to take two or three pours to get it done.
Woodworkers Thread
- Thread starter AgronAlum
- Start date
I am filling in a rotten section with epoxy resin. I tried taping it up and it leaked so I wrapped it in a bag and hopefully that seals up. Probably going to take two or three pours to get it done.
What kind of wood and what’d you use for finish on the table? I’m not even to the newbie level of woodworking but I like the look of that. I tried doing a desk for the kids and it turned out ok with the stain but the oil based polyurethane didn’t turn out how I wanted. I couldn’t get it to not have bubbles as well it was damn tough to get it to finish evenly. Watched a bunch of YouTube videos on it prior (which is probably the problem) but just could never get it to turn out exactly how I wanted.
Ahhh I gotcha. Just got confused with it already mounted on the lathe. What’s the end goal? Are you worried about a rotted piece coming apart when turning it?
I love working on lathes but haven’t invested in one because other stuff was and is a bigger need.
The table is made of two inch solid oak. The finish is actually a General Finishes water based stain with around seven coats of a Varathane water based poly. I don’t like using oil based on red oak because it soaks into the pores and just seeps for hours. The water based is quite a bit more difficult to apply evenly but it can be reapplied every two hours or so. That’s a lot of time saved when doing nine coats of stain and poly. If you do go water based, be sure to use a prestain to raise the grain first and sand it off.
You’re probably getting bubbles from working the poly too much during application. You have to trust the poly to settle on its own (and it will) and not overwork it trying to remove brush marks. Novice woodworkers almost always overwork the poly thinking what you see at application will be how it dries. That is far from the truth. The brush marks will settle and disappear as it dries. Overworking it absolutely will create bubbles.
I’ve also had bubbles show from using the wrong/crappy brushes during application. A good brush with the proper firmness is a life saver. Be sure to read up ahead of time on cleaning brushes if you’re using an oil based finish or it can get expensive throwing good brushes away. If using water based, it’s just rinsing it out the sink.
Sorry for the novel.
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With this one it’s for structural reasons. Once I got it round I found a bunch of splits and the pith was pretty sketchy.
Who pithed in your cheerios this morning
*just a bad dad joke that makes my wife's eyes roll.
I had a couple ash trees cut down today that were victims of the storm last month. I have 4 maybe 5 good sized logs I want milled to workable lumber. Any recommendations for somewhere around Ames/DM that mills and kiln dries it? I already have a couple hundred board feet of ash that was cut down last year air drying in my dads barn, but would like this available sooner. The guy I had do the milling last year was super cheap but doesn’t have drying capabilities.
Also anyone here use ash before? The little research I’ve done it sounds like it is similar to oak in workability and look.
Also anyone here use ash before? The little research I’ve done it sounds like it is similar to oak in workability and look.
The Log Dawgs in Cambridge do custom milling and have a kiln. I have reached out to them in the past about the milling, they charge $100 per hour to mill, but I don't know what they charge for drying.
www.thelogdawgs.com
www.thelogdawgs.com
I mentioned it before but my first time ever doing any staining and/or topcoat, we used an pipe based poly topcoat. I cut it with mineral spirits and had a nice brush but I still got some air bubbles in it. For my first time I don’t think it turned out bad but if I were to do it again, I might try water based and/or get a-poly with less of a sheen to it.
Ash is a lower price substitute for Oak. I haven't done much personally but we use Ash and Hackberry instead of Oak at work. Especially if you apply a finish. If clear coating, Oak may be better choice.
My go to for oak is danish oil with general finishes arm r seal poly on top.
Made a little trip to the compost site this morning with my chainsaw and snagged some burls to turn. An hour running that saw reminded me why I went to college instead of taking over the family sawmill. 
Starting to pick up a bunch of side jobs lately, not only woodworking, but just fixing stuff for people. Building a laundry table and shelves for someone on CF, neighbor wants me to replace some hardy plank, another person install screen door, a mantle/fireplace stone/built ins for someone else... I’ve always had a tough time charging a real hourly rate because I’m doing stuff I would never pay anyone else to do for me. It has taken me awhile to realize that some people just can’t or won’t do it and will pay.
What do you guys charge to make stuff for people?
The latest is some makeshift shiplap for behind a mirror/vanity. The faucet was too close to the wall for the 1 by shiplap, so I routed some slots in a piece of 3/8 ply. It took about an hour and a half for setup, cut and sand. I have no idea what I should charge or what a normal person would pay.
What do you guys charge to make stuff for people?
The latest is some makeshift shiplap for behind a mirror/vanity. The faucet was too close to the wall for the 1 by shiplap, so I routed some slots in a piece of 3/8 ply. It took about an hour and a half for setup, cut and sand. I have no idea what I should charge or what a normal person would pay.
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I spent a day and half straight running a saw for family and friends after Derecho. Maybe it’s because I don’t get to do it very often, but I ******* loved it (as much as you can when cleaning up a disaster like that). I guess running the saw beats carrying it all to the street.
I’m excited to see what you make from those burls.
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I was thinking about running down to CR and just hunting burls in the piles of debris, I just never had a free afternoon to do it. I need to have my saw tuned up before I get it out again though. It's been sitting for a couple years and it just seems down on power. That saw is older than I am though so it might need a complete rebuild.
I found a place just west of Ames - Breezy Hill sawmill. I think I saw somewhere he charges $50/hr for cutting alone. just got home with a little over 500 board feet of ash plus a little hackberry I didn’t realize got mixed in for under $200. I found one place in Earlham and one in Belle Plaine that kiln dries even if they don’t mill it for $0.50-0.60 per board foot. Now I just need to figure out what I’m going to make with it and more importantly the time to do it.
Side note, just got in from stacking it, open up Facebook as I’m eating lunch and discover the guy that runs the sawmill is tomorrow’s “Hero of the Game”, so maybe he is even someone on here.
