Beach on the beech platter - Woodturning and airbrushing project

Tools and materials I propose:

Cordless drill

Cordless Impact Driver

Bandsaw

Table saw

Lathe

Bowl gouge

Wood turning tools set

Chuck kit

Hobby Knife

Airbrush kit

Vallejo colors I like to use the model air series

In this video I turn a beech wood platter on the lathe. I decorated it with some summer elements using my airbrush. 

First of all I cut my stock on the table saw and then I cut a circle out of it on the bandsaw. 

Next I predrilled pilot holes and then I screwed the face plate in place. 

Using a bowl gouge I turned the bottom of the bowl. I also created a mortise so I can reverse chuck it. For the mortise I used a smaller bowl gouge and a diagonal flat carbide scraper. 

I sanded with the grain from 100 to 600 grit. Then I applied polishing paste and used a paper towel to polish the wood. Then I applied finer paste and repeated the process. 

I reversed chucked the bowl. Using the bowl gouge I flattened the face of the platter. Then I used a flat chisel and a sanding block to flatten the front of the platter. 

I added a coat of clear as a sealer. I used the heat gun to speed up the drying process. Then I lightly sanded because the first coat raised the grain. 

I applied a coat of white as a base color with my airbrush. 

Then I painted the sky with red and yellow. For the darker tones I added some blue. 

I sealed the colors with clear varnish. I did that because the masking tape can remove the colors if they are not sealed. 

I added masking tape and then painted the sea. Again clear as a sealer. 

I masked for the final layer. I used an exact knife to make the mask. Then I filled with black and green using the airbrush.

Next I added the final clear coat. 

Then I used the bowl gouge to open the hole for the platter. I used a round carbide cutter as a scrapper for the finishing passes. Finally I sanded and polished as I did with the back.

This was a really fun project. I am happy with the result. But that was it, see you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

How to make a simple tapering jig for your table saw - DIY

Tools and materials:

Table saw

Caliper Micrometer

Cordless drill

Cordless Impact Driver

Air compressor, nail and staple gun kit

Bandsaw

Countersink bits

Belt sander

T-Bolt Kit

In this video I make a simple and easy to make jig for your table saw. You can use it to make tapered rip cuts for your projects.

For this project I used an 18mm melamine piece I had in the shop.

I begun by making the piece that slides over my table saw’s fence. I took some measurements with my calliper and then ripped my pieces on the table saw. 

I then used my cross cut sled to clean all my edges and trim the pieces at their final length. 

Before I screw the pieces I temporarily clamped them on the fence. I added masking tape as spacer so I could achieve a nice fit. The goal here was that the piece slides nicely without any gaps. 

In this project I used my nail gun to hold the pieces in place before I added the screws. I then used an owl to mark the positions of the screws. Then I predrilled pilot holes and counter sinked them. Then I placed the screws in place. 

At this point I added another piece on my jig. The two pieces were connected with a hinge. To add the hinge I clamped it in place ant then predrilled and added the screws. I also screwed a small block in place. This pushes the wood against the blade of the saw. 

Again I temporarily nailed a piece in place. I used my divider to mark the arches needed which I then cut on the bandsaw. To close the entry hole I made on the bandsaw I glued a small wood piece in place. I then trimmed it flush with a chisel. I sanded the piece on my belt sander. 

I drilled the hole for the T-bolt. Next I made a series of cuts on the table saw in order for the T-bolt to sit flush. 

And my little jig was ready. Basically you use a square to help you align your lines. Then you push the whole jig with your material in order to make your tapered rip cut.

It is a really useful jig for making tapered legs for furniture making.

But that was it, see you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

How to make your own lead fishing weights

Tools and materials I propose:

Fire brick

Propane torch

Casting sand

Table saw

Lathe

Wood turning tools set

Drill chuck

Chuck kit

Drill press

Lead shot balls

Jeweller's saw

In this video I show you how to make a wooden model of a fishing weight on the lathe. Then you can use it to make a sand mold. Finally you can cast lead into the mold to get a metal duplicate of your design. 

I begun by cutting a piece of beech into two equal parts. Then I used hot glue to temporarily connect the two parts together.  Then I found the centres on each end. I removed the corners on the table saw before mounting the piece on the lathe. 

Next I mounted the piece on the lathe. At one end I used a zip tie to avoid the piece from splitting apart. 

Using a roughing gouge and a spindle gouge I turned my model to my likeness. 

With the two ends still attached on my model, it was a good idea to drill now the necessary holes. 

Then I cut the excess parts on the bandsaw and used a file to clean the saw marks. 

I glued two bamboo stick pieces at one part of my model. These will act as locating pins. 

Then I turned a cone on the lathe. This will be the model of the funnel of my sand mold. For the air release pipe I used a drill bit as a model. 

At this point my model is ready and I am ready to start making the sand mold. 

I coated the first half of my model with baby powder. This will help me remove the model easier from the mold later on. 

Then I filled the first frame with sand. 

I added the rest of the model pieces and the second frame. I filled the second frame with sand as well. Then I carefully removed the model pieces. 

I melted some lead shots in my crucible. This is pretty easy with the torch. Lead has a really low melting point. 

Then I poured the liquid metal into the mold. Once the metal went through the air pipe I knew the mold was full. 

At this point I drilled the hole for the fishing string. Then I cut off the excess material with a Jeweller’s saw. Finally I used a file to clean up the model a bit. 

And basically that was it. With this technique you can make almost any shape of weight you want. You can make a few experiments to achieve the size of the weight you need. 

But that was it. See you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Introduction to DIY metal casting in sand molds - How to

Tools and materials I propose:

Fire clay

Fire brick

Propane torch

Cordless drill

Cordless Impact Driver

Casting sand

Table saw

Lathe

Wood turning tools set

Drill chuck

Chuck kit

Drill press

Dowel center pin

In this video I show you tools and techniques relative to metal casting. I show you how to make a crucible, wooden frames for your sand molds, metal you can easily cast and finally how to make your molds. It is a really interesting and creative process. I hope you'll enjoy it.

First of all I made a crucible out of fire brick mortar. I mixed the mortar with water and cast it into a yoghurt cup. I removed the bubbles by hitting it onto my bench. Then I placed a plastic ball in the centre. I let it sit for a few days and my crucible was ready. These kind of crucibles will last for a few meltdown sessions. To help the liquid metal pour a little easier I added a small lip on the crucible with my rotary tool. 

Then I made a metal handle using a threaded rod and a metal stripe. I also turned a handle on the lathe out of beech wood. I drilled a pilot hole and then screwed the handle in place. 

I then cut some pieces of plywood on the table saw to make frames for the sand. I glued and nailed the boxes sides together. I also added screws. 

Then I cut my box in half and nailed the matching blocks in place. I then flattened everything with a large sanding block. I drilled holes for dowels. I used dowel marking pins to locate the meeting holes. I also painted the sides. This helps a bit with the alignment. 

I found that die cast cars are made from the ideal metal for home made castings. It melts easily and it dries hard enough. 

To make my sand mold I first added baby powder to my model. This will help me to release it from the mold later on. I add some sand on top and then I press the sand with a piece of wood. 

I place the next frame on top.This time I used a copper pipe to make a funnel and a drill bit to create an air release pipe. 

Then I broke the two parts apart and created the groove that would connect all the chambers of the mold. I removed the model and closed the mold with clamps.

Finally I melted some metal with a propane torch and poured it into the mold. It’s good to use firebricks as a base in order to prevent your bench from burning. 

You can remove the burned sand and reuse the sand for more castings. 

It takes some effort to make the proper mold for each model but it’s a really fun process.

But that was it, see you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

How to make a DIY basketball hoop out of reebar and plywood

Tools and materials I propose:

Bandsaw

Jigsaw

Propane torch

Angle grinder

Metal cutting discs

Zirconia Flap Disc

Stick welder

Cordless drill

Table saw

Router

Router bits

In this video I make a basketball hoop out of reebar, 18mm plywood, some metal parts and nylon strings. This project combines metalworking and woodworking and it was a good opportunity for me to practice my stick welding skills. 

First of all I used a scrap melamine piece to make a jig so I could bend the reebar close to a circle. I cut it out on the bandsaw and I divided it into 12 parts using my dividers. I used my jigsaw to cut some slots for the the clamps and I also made 4 pieces to help keep the clamps in place. 

I then bended the reebar and clamped it in place. I found that using heat with a propane torch really helped. To finish the circle I welded more  reebar on both ends to get more leaver power. Finally I welded the circle’s ends together and cut off the excess with the grinder. It really helps If you have someone to help you do this but I was alone in the shop. Anyway it was not super easy but it worked. 

Then I welded the circle on a metal corner. I added more reebar in the areas I had more gaps. I used 2mm sticks and my welder was mainly set around 70amps. 

Once I finished the hoop I cleaned it up with the grinder. 

Then I used the grinder to cut grooves on the circle. On there I tack welded small metal hooks. These act as net holders. I smoothed everything out with the sanding flap disc on the grinder. 

I primed and painted the circle. 

I then drilled the holes for the nuts and bolts on the plywood. I cut the bolts flush with the grinder. I also used the grinder to chamfer the edges of the bolts. 

I used a paint can a s guide to create round overs on the edges of the wood. I then cut them out on the bandsaw and used the sander to remove the saw marks. 

I used the router with a round over bit to smooth the edges of the plywood. 

I then nailed in place two spacers. I secured them in place with screws. 

I masked the board with tape and then painted it black. I finished it with water based clear satin varnish. 

To hang the hoop on the wall I bended two hooks on my vise and then screwed them in place. In future I will just screw the hoop on the wall. 

Finally I made the net using two colours of 4.8mm nylon cord. This was pretty simple as you can see in the video. 

My hoop came out great and it is ideal for small basket balls. But that was it. See you soon with a new project video.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.