Creative Woodworks & crafts 2003-06, страница 22
continued from page 20 Make the handle Rip the strips for the bent handle from a 3/4" thick board that is several inches longer than required. Choose a flat sawn, straight grained wood such as white oak, the straighter the grain the better. If there is any grain run out the wood will not bend without splintering. Be sure to cut a few extras in the event things do not go as planned. Cutting the strip from a flat sawn board yields a quarter sawn handle that usually bends more successfully than one that is flat sawn. Make your bending jig from a piece of scrap wood that is at least 3/4" thick according to the pattern. Soak the handle stock in water overnight. Begin bending by loosely clamping the center. Align the handle around the frame, keeping it in location with a little clamp pressure. Do the same for both sides. Once everything is in position without moving, fully tighten the center clamp, then the sides. Put it aside for a day or two until it is completely dried. Stain the accent pieces RiP Liquid Dye should be used only in stainless steel or glass containers, and should be applied with either a brush, rag, or by immersing. Cover your work area with plastic and newspaper, and wear disposable gloves and old clothes. Each species of wood has its own dying characteristics, but all will change color, and once the color is applied, it will be nearly impossible to remove it in the future. You can blend the colors to achieve any shade you desire, but this will take a bit of experimenting to nail it. Regardless of the color you want, make a few tests on various species of wood to see how the shade will vary and proceed from there. You will find that the end grain will be have a deeper color than the edge grain of the wood. You can reduce the effect by either wetting it first, then apply the color, or apply a solution of wood glue thinned with water and allowing it to dry, then apply the color. This will also require experimentation to achieve the desired effect. If you use the glue method, remember that hot water may dissolve the glue, so work accordingly. Remove the piece from the solution and rinse it in clear water, then wipe it off and allow it to dry. Be sure to rinse, and wipe after each application, if you do not, you will find that some color will bleed through your finish especially in damp weather. Allow the parts to completely dry. Remember, water raises the grain and there is no exception here. Depending on the wood you chose, there may be a little or a lot. The softer the wood (such as white pine), the more the grain is raised. If you don't mind a rough surface, skip this step, but if you want a smooth surface, you will have to sand them. Sand carefully with 320-grit sandpaper of fine Scotch Brite* being careful so as not to remove too much color. Once you have sanded everything, reapply the dye to achieve the color you planned on. Hint: my wife, Alice, has been using pieces of brown paper bags for years to burnish the surfaces of our wood projects rather than sandpaper. It is not practical in all instances but worked here, and provides a further advantage on not getting dust in the grain or removing color. Finish and assembly If you are planning on using a water based finish, do not use steel wool because the fine fibers remaining in the wood will cause rust stains. Apply the finish of your choice (see Fig. 2). We use Watco Natural Danish Oil as a pre coat and allow it to cure at least three days then brush on M/'nwax Wipe On 22 • Creative Woodworks & Crafts June 2003 Poly, and wipe it off. This method provides adequate penetration of the end grain and eliminates the dry look that often occurs after the finish has dried. Brushing the wipe on finish gets it into the crevices better than daubing with a rag. BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CAN FOR PROPER RAG DISPOSAL. You may find finishing before gluing to be contrary to good woodworking practices. We have used this method successfully for years on this type of project because the finish is more easily applied in an even coat on all surfaces without runs, dry spots or buildup inside and out. You may have to clean out the dowel holes with the drill bit because the contact with water may have swollen the fibers of the wood and made the holes too tight to insert them. Trim the dowels to length, measuring three times and cutting once. Begin assembling by applying a little glue to the mating surfaces of each layer and a bit in the dowel hole (see the Exploded View Drawing). Do not attempt to glue more than two layers at a time without clamping and allowing the glue to set before moving on. Test fit the handle (without any glue on it) as you glue up the layers to save yourself some aggravation later on. We use Aileen's Tacky Glue, Quick Bond or cyanoacrylate glue because it works with nearly any properly cured finish, plus we also scrape the area of contact before we apply the glue. Finish up by gluing the handle in place (see the Handle Assembly Drawing)and touching up any finish that may have gotten marked up. Regardless of how you make this project, the layers may eventually separate. The surfaces of contact between the layers is very small and does not allow for much glue. This coupled with the seasonal swelling and shrinking of the wood will insure separation, however, the dowels should hold the project together, yd Fig. 1. We use hot-melt glue to secure the layers, rather than nailing or taping them. Fig. 2. Apply finish of choice before assembly. mmmmmmmm |
