Woodworking Posts – Page 461 – Woodworking Blogs

Creating SketchUp Models from Pictures

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The ideal way to create SketchUp models of furniture from pictures is to take front-on and end-on views with a digital camera. Also take overall measurements. Then the .jpg images can then be imported to SketchUp and placed on the Red/ Blue and Green/Blue planes and scaled. From there it is a simple matter of drawing over top of the images and reconstructing the furniture piece. One of my students sent […]

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Woodworking in America 2015 Message Board

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I’ve had a barrage of questions lately (not a surprise, given that we’re at T-28 days and counting) about how folks can get in touch with others who are attending Woodworking in America 2015 (Sept. 27-27, in Kansas City, Mo.). So, for lack of a better fast and effective way to do it, I’ve created a “sticky post” atop Popular Woodworking’s Facebook page – it will stay there until the […]

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Taking Woodworking Classes on what You Already Know

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Continuing education should be a priority in your life – especially in areas such as favorite hobbies! The longer you travel down the path of a particular subject, however, you gain more knowledge and might feel a bit more advanced than available offerings. Many classes seem targeted toward beginners. But as woodworkers, I think we’re lucky because in addition to raw knowledge, there is a kinetic aspect to our education. […]

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How to Weld Aluminum Without a Welder

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Using a propane torch and some aluminum brazing rods is a quick way to bonding aluminum without using a welder. It makes for a very strong bond and with a little practice can be done quickly with great looking results.

Items Needed for Brazing Aluminum

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Propane Torch

The blue Bernzomatic will work just fine but I prefer using the yellow premium touch as it’s hotter and works much quicker.

Brazing Rods

You’ll also need some aluminum brazing rods. I purchased all of these things at Home Depot.

Step 1: Cut Aluminum Tubing

What I like about using aluminum is it’s soft enough to cut with ordinary woodworking saw blades.

Step 2: Chamfer Edges

I’ll then chamfer the edges to allow a channel for the brazing material.

Step 3: Wire Brush Aluminum

Before brazing it’s very important that the aluminum is clean.

Step 4: Heat up Aluminum

Clamp up the tubing and start heating the aluminum with a propane torch. Aluminum will start to melt at 1200deg Fahrenheit but the brazing rod will melt at around 700deg so we want to get the aluminum hot enough to melt the rod without melting the tubing. Getting the tubing hot enough may take 4 to 5 minutes. You’ll know when it’s hot enough when the rod starts to melt on contact.

Step 5: Braze the Aluminum

Rub the brazing rod along the channel until it’s filled in and finish it off with some more heat. If you don’t get the aluminum hot enough the brazing rod will just clump up and not stick to the tubing. This takes some patience and practice as my first few tries resulted in failures and ugly joints.

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Upside Down Tool Usage

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We have these adages in the woodworking world: Hand-tool woodworkers prefer taking the tool to the wood, power-tool users prefer taking the wood to the tool; Westerners operate on the push, Easterners on the pull. I’m here to say we need an adage for a technique I’ve been finding extremely useful. Let’s call it the Australian way: Using tools upside down. These past weeks I’ve been making lots of small […]

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Making & Fitting Doors

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Imagine walking up a path to a beautiful home, only to see that the front “door” is actually a moldy shower curtain nailed to the frame. Or compare the sound of a door closing on a 1987 Yugo versus a 2015 S550 Mercedes. A door is a first impression – so make yours a good one. “Making & Fitting Doors,” a new digital magazine featuring eight articles from the Popular Woodworking Magazine […]

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