Nail Drill

Here are the plans to make a workbench for your shop. Fairly easy to build, these plans make a nice, solid, compact bench to fit in nearly any workshop.

Items needed:

Top 198 x 48 x 1800mm
Corner brackets 90 x 35 x 240mm
Side top rails 148 x 48 x 800mm
Front/back top rails 90 x 35 x 1400mm
Coach bolts, nuts and washers 5/16 x 4 ½
Side bottom rails 90 x 35 x 800mm
Legs 98 x 98 x 900mm
Front/back bottom rails 90 x 35 x 1400mm
Shelf 800 x 1470 x 19mm
Bench stop 90 x 35 x 300mm

Tools

Claw hammer
Smoothing plane
Marking gauge
Combination square
Steel tape
Three beveled-edge firmer chisels
Cross-cut saw
Tenon saw
Nail punch
Twist drills
Screwdrivers
Oil stone
Sanding cork
Variable-speed power drill
Jigsaw
Circular saw

Instructions:

1. Cut to length the four legs and mark in housings for top and bottom rails. The top housing is 148mm x 48mm deep; the lower one 90mm x 35mm deep. Set your circular saw to the right depth and cut on the waste side of the lines you marked. Cut a series of parallel lines about 12mm apart between the housing marks and knock out waste. Smooth each housing with a chisel or rasp.

2. Cut to length front and back top and bottom rails, align them in their housing and pin in place with nails. Drill through both legs and rails as shown and bolt rails to legs. Check frame is square by measuring the diagonals.

3. Cut and clamp side rails to the front and back frame, then drill and insert the longer bolts. Tighten all nuts securely and check the table doesn’t rock.

4. Cut out four corner brackets with 45-degree angles. A miter saw will be useful for this or set a circular saw to cut at 45 degrees. Screw brackets in place flush with top of rails. At this stage the bench frame should be completely rigid.

5. Cut the bottom shelf to suit the dimensions of the bench. Notch out 35mm x 133mm in each corner to clear the legs. The shelf can be screwed in place or left loose.

6. Cut the five pieces for the top. Move them around to get a good fit for the edges and hold them in place with a nail. Screw them to the bench frame with 100mm screws, two in each end, sunk slightly below the surface. Use a plane to smooth any major irregularities.

7. Prepare a bench stop as shown in the detail. Find the center and measure 60mm and 200mm from one end of a length of 90mm x 35mm pine. Drill an 8mm diameter hole at these points. Draw two lines joining the holes and cut along lines with a jigsaw to form a slot. Smooth the cut with a file or sharp chisel. Bevel the end at 45 degrees. Cut bench to a length of 300mm.

8. Locate the bench stop where you want it. Right-handed people generally prefer the stop at the left-hand end of the bench and left-handed people vice-versa. Make sure you avoid the braces. Hold the bench stop against the front rails and mark around it on the underside of the bench top. Transfer this shape to the top of the bench.

Drill two holes in opposite corners and cut out the rectangular hole. Insert the bench stop and make sure it slides smoothly. Adjust with a file or chisel as necessary. Hold the bench stop so it is flush with the bench top and drill a hole through the front rail at the top of the slot. Insert a carriage bolt with a washer and wing nut to allow the bench stop to be raised and lowered easily.

On the average, workbenches are not finished; i.e. do not apply paint or a clear finish so that this finish does not mark other items that are built on the bench.

For more information on benches visit http://www.bench411.com

Every building, irrespective of its size, needs carpentry works for various applications like doors, windows and furniture. Carpentry is different from other construction works. It involves proper handling of wood materials and fixing it in the right way. Carpentry works should be done with a skilled craftsmanship. Poor implementation of carpentry works can give an awful look to a house and the furniture in it. Though most of the carpentry works can be done only with the help of skilled professionals, some of the basic works like nailing, drilling and fixing can be done by everyone. Basic Tools In the past, carpentry works were done only with the help of various hard tools like hammer, chisel, saw and other accessories. In the recent times, modern technology allows carpenters to replace hammers with drills. However, hammers are also widely used for various other purposes. Steel square is a tool used by carpenters for various applications like measuring, checking the flatness of the surface and making patterns on a wooden surface. Other accessories like nails, screws, drill bits, glue, screw drivers and safety glasses are also included in a carpenter kit. Carpentry in Houses It is a common thing to see people taking some basic training in carpentry classes. Some of the simple works at home can be done with help of basic carpentry training. There are also various books available in the market to gather knowledge in the art of carpentry. Proper handling of wood is the basic requirement for carpentry skills. Experienced carpenters can do a fine work with a minimum wastage of wood. Choosing the right quality of wood is also an important skill of an experienced carpenter. There are different types of wood to choose from and wood from popular trees like oak, teak, pine and aspen are widely used for various purposes. Carpentry in houses involves various works like fixing windows, doors, gates, playhouses, kennels, and racks. Other works like building a staircase, drawers, trolleys and interior shutters can also be done at home. Some of these works need a minimal experience in handling wooden materials. Skilful execution of the carpentry works can be helpful in producing various fine objects. Full-fledged carpentry works can be done with the help of professionals specialized in this field. Professional carpenters may be specialized in building large structures or smaller objects. Carpenters with different skill levels can provide a fine service on different works.

In these days of synthetic materials, shining shoes may not top your list of things to do but if you own good leather footwear then you ought to know the best way to make them look great.  You probably already know this but a pair of really nice shined shoes will set off your appearance and but it also sends a message.  Either this guy is successful enough that he can afford somebody to professionally shine his shoes, or this guy really cares about his appearance and the time he puts in polishing his shoes proves it.

Think about that for a moment.  Remember the last time you noticed someone with really nice shined shoes?  Didn’t you surreptitiously look down at your own to see how they stacked up?  Nicely polished shoes are the exception today which means they are a great way to make a statement and get noticed.

So how do you go about getting that gleam you want?

The first things you need are leather shoes.  Everything that follows only applies to uppers that are crafted out of leather and not some synthetic leather look-alike material.

Secondly put together a shoe shine kit.  You’ll need paste wax in the color of your shoes, an old toothbrush, a shoe brush (preferably horsehair) , a soft buffing cloth, black liquid shoe polish with a built in applicator, cotton balls (if you want a spit shine) some polish rags, latex gloves and a piece of pantyhose.  Yeah that’s right pantyhose.

Step 1

Clean your shoes.  We live in a dirty world and your shoes are always in contact with it.  Wipe off the dust and then use a little water and wipe then down again and dry immediately.  Use the toothbrush to get into the seams between the upper and the sole.  Make sure you rinse the toothbrush when your done.

Step 2

Put on the gloves.  If you’re like most guys you are shining your shoes just before you’re going out.  If you don’t wear gloves you’re going to have polish stuck under your nails and that’s a bad thing.  Apply the wax to the shoes and rub it in using a circular motion.  If you want a hard shiny finish on the toes, use a cigarette lighter and apply heat to the toe caps.  This opens the pours on the leather and will allow the wax to get deeper into the skin.  Let the uppers dry for 15 minutes.

Step 3

While the uppers are drying, use the liquid black wax to treat the sole and the heel.  Just apply and let dry.  You may need to use the toothbrush to get at the threads that attach the sole to the upper.

Step 4

Brush the shoe.  When you’re done brushing use the buffer cloth to bring out the shine.  Now for you spit shine freaks, take a damp cotton ball and apply just a little wax to it and work that into the toe in short circular motions.  You do this over and over again until you get a really glossy shine.  The good news is this will last a while if you take care of it.  Then you take the pantyhose and, holding the shoe between your knees, use both hands to buff the shoe.  The fabric in the pantyhose will bring out an even brighter shine than the buffing cloth.

That’s it.  You’re good to go and you will be looking fantastic!