Watcha Makin'?

[Big_eddy]

I must admit it was pretty cool to go from a log to a handle in under 2 hours.  And draw knife work is pretty relaxing if you have a nice straight grained piece, as long as you don't try to take too big a bite.  All the shaping was done by eye and I'm pleased how well it turned out. Drawing a centre line down the top and bottom of the blank helps a lot.  

[aigheadish]

I don't want to squawk too prematurely but I haven't seen any birds in the shop since the upgrade! Woop. I'll need to get up there tomorrow and try to at least get that last piece of wood in.

Anyone have a good suggestion for turning a rolled up piece of aluminum, built for flashing but presumably not usually intended for the length of run I need, into an L shaped piece of aluminum?

I've seen metal brakes made from 2x4s and that may be my best option, but I'm wondering if there could be some kind of rolling mechanism, where as I unrolled it it could get a crease about an inch from one side while also flattening it a bit... I've never messed with this stuff, so maybe it's easier than I think. I want probably an 18' run, ideally in one piece, shaped like an L that I can jam up under existing vinyl siding, and make a drip edge out over the wood header and doors.

I have some big, industrial casters I could see pulling the aluminum through but I don't know the best way that would work.

Design committee? (we need a hashtag or something, some kind of Bat Signal, to call out all members of the design committee!)

[doc henderson]

the rolled aluminum flashing can be "broke" with 2 x 4s or find a siding guy with a brake and meet them on a job.  give em 20 bucks and get it done well.

[Machinebuilder]

I decided to do a project that would take as long.
This is my version of a coffee filter holder, made out of Walnut, Maple and Cherry, all off of my sawmill.

[SwampDonkey]

Lots of carpenters and furnace ductwork guys with these brakes.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BoFwue6-9rQ

[Wlmedley]

I agree with Doc , find a siding installer and have them break it for you. Will be a lot better job. Probably have to break it into 8' or 10' pieces according to how big a break they have. The roll is called coil stock and is usually pretty thick material.It is easy to splice by lapping a inch or two.

[Resonator]

Check with the tool rental places, they may have one. 

[Ljohnsaw]

If you must have a continuous piece, check with a gutter guy. They make long gutters only limited by the length of the roll. Maybe the folds are selectable.

[aigheadish]

Thanks guys, those are the options I was thinking, we'll see how much patience I have or if I try it myself.

[Old Greenhorn]

This is only a 1 or 2 piece job, right?
 If that's the case, is it really worth buying or renting a machine? I always opt for improvis9ng whatever I have on hand, spending a little more time and a lot less money. (Color me cheap Frugal)
Here's what I would do: Unroll the sheet you have and cut it off a little longer than you need. Gently reverse roll it to get some of the bend out of it. Lay it flat and get a long straight edge and draw a line with a sharpie right down the bend line. Now get two 2x4's  or 6's and screw them together face to face with the edges as even as possible, making a 4x4. Now back the screws out a turn or two. Slide the flashing in between the 2x4's working your way down, line up your band mark with the edges of that 2x4's and tighten the screws as you work along.. It will take a few adjustments, but eventually you will get it lined up, then tighten it all and maybe add a couple of screws closer the the edge. Now, a little at a time, use your hands and a block to slowly work down the line and BEGIN the end. Work from end to end only doing a bit at a time. Eventually (when you get past 45°) you could add a third 2x4 in there and start tapping on that as you work down. You want to keep the pressure and forces as close to the band line as possible. Eventually you will get there. Take your time. Rushing it will make a messy bend for your end product.

[doc henderson]

The aluminum coil they use for siding, is not too bad to bend.  but a brake will do it better.  look for a steel or vinyl siding guy.

[SwampDonkey]

Local rental here used to have them Brakes, iir. My carpenter uses a brake here for around the mounding of your doors. Aluminium flashing comes in narrow rolls. My furnace guy used one to make all the square duct, from which the premade round ducts go off of. Like making a bunch of steel boxes. Galvanized sheets.

Some fellas would do that little job for near nothing. Especially if they did work for ya or maybe you have someone you know. A rental probably have a min $ whether your 15 minutes or 8 hrs, I would go OGH method if those first options aren't available.

[Wlmedley]

Even though I didn't make it I thought I would post a picture. Cut quite a bit of lumber for a fella last year and he said I needed a Mail Pouch sign on my barn as he had one on his which he had made. I told him that I wasn't quite that talented. Didn't think any more about it and today he called and said he had made me one and would I be home so we could hang it. I think it looks pretty good. Wouldn't take any money and I tried to give him some lumber but he wouldn't take any of it either. Said it was nice to have someone to get good lumber from whenever he needed some. Still some nice people out there.

[Old Greenhorn]

Interesting HISTORY on those signs. Very nice.

[Wlmedley]

Thanks for the link Tom. There are still a few originals around here but they are few and far between and most in pretty bad shape.

[SwampDonkey]

Years before I was on the planet, my grandfather chewed. He would also buy some tobacco out of Maine, later in life, for different folks he would fish or hunt with. He wasn't chewing then. He probably quit chewing and smoking 40 years before he died.

[aigheadish]

I'm with you, Tom, on the cheap part. I've got some 16' long 2x4s or 2x6s. That's the route I expected I'd go but wasn't sure if there was a better way. I'll likely wait until it's a little warmer out.

Bill- that sign is really cool and very sweet of your buddy! Maybe make him one of your stools!

Today, after seeing Brad's sander holder above, I started working on a pretty ambitious project for me, using dados!

I've got a big tool box that I made a while back that is just a French cleated box that I store a pile of my sanders and angle grinder in.



Well, I looked at a few pictures online and drew up a design to hold all this junk a bit more cleanly, though I guess I didn't really need it. I'm at the point where I've used my router a bit and learned some about attempting to cut 3/4" dado slots for the top and bottom of the piece. I'm sure there's smarter ways to do it amd most of my dados leave a bit to be desired but I think it'll still work ok.







I look at pretty much all my projects as learning experiences and not great work. I think this'll turn out a bit lopsided but we'll see.

[Ljohnsaw]

FFR (For Future Reference), if you have stock wide enough to rip in half for your project, cut the dados first, then rip. That way they'll line up!

[Resonator]

Interesting story on those mail pouch barns. Didn't know they were in so many states, I only recall seeing them in Ohio and West Virginia when I drove around the US. 
Now a days (at least in the midwest), you're more likely to see big colorful "quilt" patterns of squares, triangles and diamonds on the gable ends of barns.  

[21incher]

Nightlight.  Playing with a 3d scanner to get usable files for 3d printing,  design use, and cnc routing. First scan made a nice Nightlight

Here's a quick video about it
https://youtu.be/L_piRWhKPNE
Trying some tractor scans next to develop some new parts.

[tule peak timber]

I watched the video link and found it interesting especially on how it might apply to a CNC machine. I'm still on the fence about getting a machine with the main stumbling block being power, of all things.

[aigheadish]

Unfortunately, John, all the wood was stuff sitting around at about 5 and a half inches wide, so no ripping involved with those. 

[21incher]

I watched the video link and found it interesting especially on how it might apply to a CNC machine. I'm still on the fence about getting a machine with the main stumbling block being power, of all things.

This is the cheapest one available and it definitely is good enough for CNC routing.  You could  easily copy panels and ornate trim. I built a little  cnc router and it definitely  makes usable files. I just need a month to learn the new cam package I am switching to. Next generation scanners will combine scan and high res pictures for perfect copies. Another use I am hoping to try is casting. 3d prints made with one or 2 layers of filament are good for sand casting and the print vaporizes when poured. Would  be good for copying old hardware. If only there was more  time in a day.
You have lots of sunshine and there are still solar credits, have you thought about solar.  Most single phase inverters can be tripled up for 3 phase power. Big routers take big power, but little routers are cheap and good to learn on. On sunny days you probably wouldn't need much battery  capacity. 

[tule peak timber]

I cut some teak veneers today for a door build and got a chance to use a new blade coolant/lubricant system that replaces my old gravity drip rig. This new system pulses high pressure mist, is super clean and easy to use. The company I bought it from was surprised that I was using it in a woodworking application as it is meant for tough metal cutting jobs. I've been a fan of blade lubricating for a lot of years, and this system makes me smile. Board after board peels off the resaw with very tight tolerances. The old system is still hanging on the saw and I'll keep it, sort of like an antique.
Sorry the pics are sideways and I don't know why. But if you click on them, they come out right side up.
WOC

[doc henderson]

cool.... blade and set up.