First Two Knee Blocks Completed

I did not do any woodworking yesterday.  I had to do the museum tour with my wife.  We started in the morning and it took all day.  We did the Cleveland Museum of Art Sicily Exhibit and Great Lakes Science Center Titanic Exhibit and the IMax movie.  Then we went to the Casino and then to dinner.  I was worn out.
So working in the workshop today was like a day of rest.  I did complete 2 to the knee blocks.  I am happy with the results and will keep these.   There are quite a few steps in the sawing and shaping of these but it necessary to get them to look right.  So here is the latest video;

Knee Blocks are Proving to be a Real Challenge

Well it is the day after Christmas and I am back in the shop.  I had a whole day to think about how I will shape the knee blocks.  They are cone shaped but I am still not sure how I will make them.  I cut out one like have done other knee blocks but that did not work at all.  So, you will see in the video that after some trial and error I think I made some progress on the final shape.  This is not a quick process and require some carving.  So, here is the video:

Christmas Eve in the Workshop

I did get some time in the workshop today.  I fitted the corner blocks to the frame and then I used the strap clamp to hold them in place while I started to figure out how to shape the knee blocks.  These are going to be a challenge to shape since they are small and it is hard to put them in a vise.  The knee blocks are cone shaped, smaller at the top and wider at the bottom.  It is difficult for me to visualize the shape.

Here is the video:

Finished the Legs and the Corner Turrets

Hi, I have finished carving the legs and scrapped, filed and sanded the legs to 150 grit, so they can be attached to the table frame.  It is much easier to do the major surface preparation before the legs are attached.  I will sand them to 320 grit before finishing but that should not be too much works since they have been sanded to 150 already.
I glued the corner turrets to the legs in preparation for attaching to the apron table frame.  I'll do that tomorrow.
I split apart the side turrets and scraped the paper and glue from between them and then cut them to exact size.  If I have time, I may attach them as well tomorrow.
So here is the video:

Update on Carving Leaves on the Knees

It has been several days since I started carving the knees of the table with the leaf pattern that I selected.  I have not spent all that much time in the shop.   Our daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Sunday, so we have been busy watching their two year old boy to help out.  But I did get into the shop today and made some progress on the carving.  I should finish tomorrow.   The carving is getting easier since I have already done one practice and 2 legs.  So here is the updated video with my new camera, the video is in HD now.  I keep the old camera in the shop but it is too dusty to leave the new camera out there.
Here is the video:

A Good Day For Carving

I have made some progress on the table. It is cold and snowy here and I have got the shop warm. So it is a good day to be indoors.   I cut 3/16" grooves in the corners of the frame and fitted one leg.  It fit good, so the next step would be to carve the leaf pattern on the knee of each leg.
I cut out the pattern of a full leaf, but it was difficult to trace on the knee with carbon paper.  So I cut it in half and trace the outline on each side.  Then I drew in the veins.  I did a practice leaf on an old cabriolet leg that was laying around in the shop.  It was a good warm up.  Now I have on leg carved.  Three more to go.
So here is the video.

Doug Moulder's Skew Blade Panel Plane

A friend of mine, Doug Moulder is really into making his own wooden planes.  He recently completed a half set of hollows and rounds, snipes bills and side rounds.  Now after seeing the article in Popular Woodworking, he decided to make the skew blade panel plane.  He make is own 3D drawings to help figure out the various angles.  He did build a prototype out of maple and then but the good one out of beech.
So here is the video of us testing his new plane.  Great job Doug!

Selecting the Knee Carving and Making the Table Frame

It has been a busy two days, I studied the knee carving and made a blow-up so I could see the detail.  After all that I decided that I did not like the design.  So, I have decided to use one that I already had a plaster cast from Mary May.  I checked with my wife and she gave it the ok.
I milled some stock 13/16 x 4" for the table frame, laid out and cut dovetails.  I made some table buttons to hold the top to the frame and then cut a grove for them to fit into.  Then I glued up the frame.
Tomorrow, I am going to carve a leaf on a practice leg to see how difficult this one is, I have carved knees before but it has been awhile.

So here is the video:

Corner Turrets Are Not That Easy

Well I spent quite a bit of time in the shop the last two days.  I had turned the first solid turret which is used on the corner with the leg tenon through it and drilled a hole for the tenon.   I thought that it would be easy to pare the round hole to square but it turned out to be more work than I thought.  In addition, I cracked the turret at the weak point.  So, the first one turned out to be the prototype.  After cutting and fitting, I learned that the leg tenon should be 1 3/16" instead of 1 1/4" and I used my hollow chisel mortise to drill out the holes.
I turned another 4 turrets and followed my new process and I am now about done with the corner turrets.
So, here is the latest video.

More Time in the Shop Today - Progress on the Table

Well I got a lot more time in the shop today and finished turning  the side turrets.  And then I started to work on the corner turrets.
The corner turrets are more complex since they are one piece they are turned out of 16/4 stock.  They also have a mortise which the leg tenon fits.  Lastly, a quarter of the turret is cut away so that it can fit on the corner of the table.
The whole thing will be held on to the table corner with a long screw.
So here is the video of today's work.

Turned one turret today and prepared the other blocks

I spent a couple of hours in the shop today turning the side turrets.   I decided to do a video of the detail steps in turning.   After I turned the one, I then turned all of the others to round and marked out the lines.
So, tomorrow  I will start turning the rest.

Latest in the construction of the turret top tea table

Continuing the construction of the Turret Top Tea Table.  I have completed carving 4 ball and claw feet on the table legs.  I am not going  to carve the knees at the present.  I am starting to turn the side turrets.  I am making these from 2" stock which is glued up to 4" blocks.  Each side turret is 1 7/8" thick by 3 3/4" wide by 4" long.  By putting the craft paper between the two pieces, this should make it easier to split apart.
My turning skills are rusty, it has been quite awhile since I have turned anything.  So I have a lot of brushing up to do.
Anyway, here is the video