Things I Have Built

Knew him for 4 short years. Helluva nice guy and one bad ass bowler.

You're a good guy AV, I am sure you were a good friend to him. With you putting the bench indoors, you should be able to use any species of wood that you choose and have no problems. Let me Google around the web a little and see if i can find a set of plans for one. I'll catch up with you here or in gramps thread as usual.

https://www.thebalanceeveryday.com/free-bench-plans-1357108


This has 14, a couple of them look nice. Depends on what you had in mind? Any of them can have a nice finish, I prefer Minwax stains..then 2 or 3 coats of polyurethane with a very light sanding with fine paper between coats. 200 grit paper or similar..very careful sanding after the first coat, you don't want to cut through the poly to the stain. All you are doing between coats is getting rid of imperfections like dust, air bubbles, etc, and roughing it up slightly so the next coat will stick.

If you have any questions or need help you know i am lurking in the PF daily, just post in gramps thread. Wish I was closer, I would come over and have a beer with ya and help you build it bro.

https://www.thebalanceeveryday.com/free-bench-plans-1357108

Edit...I tried twice to copy and paste the link and it doesn't work. Surely you can type that in and Google will get you there, though. Much better with tools than this stupid phone.smart phone my arse
 
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Thanks Marcus. I had my eye on a couple on the link you sent. I’m the type of guy that does a sketch to scale and start with it. I get a visual in my head on what I want, I usually go with it. I’ve got the tools to get it done and when I finish I’ll post it here.

I’m thinking no arms, you know how kids are. They’ll sit on the arms and it will eventually start falling apart. Gonna keep it simple. Also, make an outline of a bowling pin and torch the edges, you know that look.

Edit: seat surface and back probably 2x6’s.
 

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Thanks Marcus. I had my eye on a couple on the link you sent. I’m the type of guy that does a sketch to scale and start with it. I get a visual in my head on what I want, I usually go with it. I’ve got the tools to get it done and when I finish I’ll post it here.

I’m thinking no arms, you know how kids are. They’ll sit on the arms and it will eventually start falling apart. Gonna keep it simple. Also, make an outline of a bowling pin and torch the edges, you know that look.

Edit: seat surface and back probably 2x6’s.

That will be very cool
 
That will be very cool

This. Make sure to post a pic when you get done brother. Right tools make all the difference, too. I tell the homeowners I work for, as well as friends, you don't necessarily have to buy the most expensive brand (dewalt for example, makes fine tools but are a little too proud of some of them) but don't buy cheap tools. Buy contractor grade tools, not the underpowered crap they try to sell to dads out there who don't know better. Different guys have different preferences, but dewalt, Hitachi, Makita, porter cable, and Milwaukee all make professional grade tools that will do a good job. Black and Decker, anything from northern, anything made in china, is crap and will hurt you.

Hey slice, I got a brand new skill saw given to me the other day from our nail guy, it's sweet... 55 degree bevel instead of 45 or 50, and says that it powers through tough or thick lumber 40% faster than a regular saw. It seems to be about 1 pound heavier than my 15amp Makita, I am thinking it is geared like the old worm drive saws that weighed 15 pounds. It has a weird little doodad on the front so you could set the rip guide at angle up to 45 degrees? (Mitre, not bevel) anyway..I have never used a rip guide, like you i am sure, I can rip perfectly straight just using my left hand fingers clamped down on the face plate of the saw...or when building built ins etc. Out of MDF or expensive plywood, where it has to be laser, perfect, factory straight...I use the 8 foot aluminum straightedge and clamps..anyway..this saw is a Hitachi, and it's sick. Will post a pic if you want.
 
This. Make sure to post a pic when you get done brother. Right tools make all the difference, too. I tell the homeowners I work for, as well as friends, you don't necessarily have to buy the most expensive brand (dewalt for example, makes fine tools but are a little too proud of some of them) but don't buy cheap tools. Buy contractor grade tools, not the underpowered crap they try to sell to dads out there who don't know better. Different guys have different preferences, but dewalt, Hitachi, Makita, porter cable, and Milwaukee all make professional grade tools that will do a good job. Black and Decker, anything from northern, anything made in china, is crap and will hurt you.

Hey slice, I got a brand new skill saw given to me the other day from our nail guy, it's sweet... 55 degree bevel instead of 45 or 50, and says that it powers through tough or thick lumber 40% faster than a regular saw. It seems to be about 1 pound heavier than my 15amp Makita, I am thinking it is geared like the old worm drive saws that weighed 15 pounds. It has a weird little doodad on the front so you could set the rip guide at angle up to 45 degrees? (Mitre, not bevel) anyway..I have never used a rip guide, like you i am sure, I can rip perfectly straight just using my left hand fingers clamped down on the face plate of the saw...or when building built ins etc. Out of MDF or expensive plywood, where it has to be laser, perfect, factory straight...I use the 8 foot aluminum straightedge and clamps..anyway..this saw is a Hitachi, and it's sick. Will post a pic if you want.

Absolutely
Almost everything I have says dewalt or Milwaukee on it. I do have a makita worm drive I really like.
But do agree with your list of tools. I’ve had good luck with some Ridgid tools also

Edit: one of the guys who works for me has a lot of Hitachi power tools and swears by them.
 
Absolutely
Almost everything I have says dewalt or Milwaukee on it. I do have a makita worm drive I really like.
But do agree with your list of tools. I’ve had good luck with some Ridgid tools also

Edit: one of the guys who works for me has a lot of Hitachi power tools and swears by them.


I think both Rigid and Kobalt make decent tools. I have had good experience with both store featured brands...seems like their tools are capable, and contractor grade if you know what amps/etc to look for...but they are never the "best" of that particular tool when compared to the big brands above. I did have a Kobalt 12 inch chop saw (single bevel :( ) that i let myh framers use to cut every single stud in a 250 unit apartment bldg, 5 floors...it was radial and only cost me 200 bucks. That's impressive durability...had a Rigid skill saw 15amp given to me, it had a very long cord, a LED light that never burned out, and I beat the crap out of it for about 2 years before I gave it to my BIL...it was a good saw. Honestly, either of those 2 are probably all a homeowner needs for an occasional project.
 
You guys - Marcus and Slice - got my tool fever raging here. Marcus I like your advice to AV on his bench project; good luck with it AV and I look forward to seeing pics of it.

Two more days to get ready for my long overdue vacation, 5 days in Alaska, should be epic. After I'm back I will work on some pics I can post here, starting with my cinder-block-leg table I build for light pipefitting and metal work lo those many years ago.
 
When we got our new HVAC finished and the guys removed the old furnace, they informed me it looked like it had a brand new motor. So i scavenged the motor and fan and built a badass shop fan. Still needs some work, but it moves a bunch of air.
 

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You guys - Marcus and Slice - got my tool fever raging here. Marcus I like your advice to AV on his bench project; good luck with it AV and I look forward to seeing pics of it.

Two more days to get ready for my long overdue vacation, 5 days in Alaska, should be epic. After I'm back I will work on some pics I can post here, starting with my cinder-block-leg table I build for light pipefitting and metal work lo those many years ago.

Nice. Enjoy your trip brother. Rep our Vols, you won't be the only 1
 
When we got our new HVAC finished and the guys removed the old furnace, they informed me it looked like it had a brand new motor. So i scavenged the motor and fan and built a badass shop fan. Still needs some work, but it moves a bunch of air.

Cool
It may blow you out of the garage
 
This is going to be a badazz kayak trailer.
I got it free.
 

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This is going to be a badazz kayak trailer.
I got it free.

I've got a jet ski trailer that I used for my kayaks. I used strut rail to make it a double decker. It worked great because you had numerous places to hooks your straps.
I've got a truck now and just throw the kayaks in the back.
I still have the trailer, but my father-in-law bought a jon boat and thought he could make the trailer work for it. He took the strut rail off and I've never put it back on. I had carpeted runners on it too..... it was nice.
 
I've got a jet ski trailer that I used for my kayaks. I used strut rail to make it a double decker. It worked great because you had numerous places to hooks your straps.
I've got a truck now and just throw the kayaks in the back.
I still have the trailer, but my father-in-law bought a jon boat and thought he could make the trailer work for it. He took the strut rail off and I've never put it back on. I had carpeted runners on it too..... it was nice.

I consider a jet ski trailer. But I have 4 kayaks to move around.
 
I think you should build some rails so you can haul more kayaks than you need to.
 
Nice slice. I finally got the opportunity to learn how to stick weld. Had always wanted to, wanted to take a class at CC ...the company mechanic was quitting to take another job so my boss let me go spend nearly a week with him just learning how to use a cutting torch and stick welder. He's got a 3,000 dollar diesel welder that will push 4 110 outlets while you weld, it's nice. I can weld things together now where they are strong, but my welds aren't pretty. Guy who taught me was talented, his beads were always perfect. It's just so hard to see what you're doing...for me, it's about 80% just welding by feel. People who are good at it make it look so easy, anyone who has tried knows better.
 
Nice. Enjoy your trip brother. Rep our Vols, you won't be the only 1

Thanks Marcus. This is our last night in AK, just starting to catch up on my favorite VN threads and looking forward to getting home and getting caught up on work.
 
Heres some things I've built over the past year.
 

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