Hmm, I know the JLF has multiple holes for mounting, do any of the holes on the LS-32 match any of the holes on the JLF (well any 4 holes)?
If the holes match I’m pretty sure you can route out extra on the bottom so that both stick fit in the recess (it doesn’t have to be snug).
If not you can do that and drill 8 holes (4 for JLF and 4 for LS-32) or you can drill out 4 new holes in the LS-32 plate that match the JLF’s holes.
Someone else might have a different method though.
actually using some slim leather glove is no problem at all!
Hey you guys i kno this isnt a woodworking question but it is a safety question. i was wondering if i needed a special mask and goggles for when i solder because i really dont think that inhalin this stuff is too good
Will the material tear away from your hand solely from your own strength?
Hey Crazed…In both cases a router would do a great job. For the circle, if you have a router table, this is one way to do it:
http://www.eaglelakewoodworking.com/post/Router-Table-Circle.aspx
Alternatively, you could use a circle-cutting jig on the router (bought or shop-built)…this should give you an idea:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=40968&cat=1,43000
As for your honking big rectangle:)…i’d just use a straight-edge to guide the router - if need be, you could square out the corners with a chisel afterwards. hth
Now, I’m having issues with the finishing (painting). It seems no matter what I do (even hand-sanding at 400x) I still keep sanding down to the primer. Should I just re-coat, but thicker? As I’ve always finished with stain, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Just a note…the sanding is to clear out the “orange peel”.
Yet another note…Michael - that is one awesome Father’s Day gift!
There are multiple things you can use:
These two are pricey but are the best:
Fresh air system (pumps air from outside into a mask)
Fume extractors (made specifically for soldering)
Less expensive but non-disposable:
Get the filter:
3M? Particulate Filter 2091/07000(AAD), P100 100/Case
And pair it up with one of these masks:
3M? Respirators 5000 Series
Cartridges 6000 Series with 3M? Adapter 502
3M? Facepieces 6000 Series
3M? Facepieces 7000 Series with bayonet filter holder
from: http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/portal/3M/en_CA/Health/Safety/Products/Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LES9MG812H2_nid=HCLKF8CQL5beF3RH7CD92Ngl
I use the 3M? Organic Vapor/P95 Respirator Assemblies 5000 Series (bought it from a local hardware store) with the P100 filter for sanding. It’s amazing, just use compressed air to blow it clean outside once and awhile and then replace it every couple of months. I didn’t know it could block lead though.
Disposable:
The mask 8512, 8515 or 8212
from: http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/portal/3M/en_CA/Health/Safety/Products/Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LES9MG812H2_nid=PM45PK8S2VbeF3RH7CD92Ngl
I guess it’s time to get a router 
For painting, are you using a spray paint can? Are you sanding between each coat? Try not sanding between each coat and instead applying a very light coat every 5 minutes until the colour underneath is hidden. Apply around 2 more coats and then sand only as much as you need to as to remove imperfections.
You aren’t even supposed to sand the basecoat at all unless you let it dry too long (if you apply it at the end of the work day) but for spray paint I guess it needs it.
Alternatively maybe you could try 800 grit sandpaper instead of 400, wetsand it too. Try not to sand too much either, you just want to rid the surface of imperfections and provide grip for the next coat.
Please, you can do it if you like it is your choice after all, but don’t tell other people that it is safe because it is not.
Read what green said and think about it. If the material gets cut, so will your hand. If the material gets stuck you will not be able to pull out your hand in time. You will keep getting pulled into the tool until the motor stalls. If it’s not a stationary tool (a hand drill, circular saw, router) then you run the risk of the tool getting loose and running around your arm on top of the possibility of pulling you in. There is a reason that we were not allowed to wear gloves around power tools at school, that is the same reason that many power tool user manuals say it and why people who work in shops don’t use gloves either, because they are dangerous.
you can use this…:lovin:
Seeing the responses from my fellow safety advocates I won’t be too hard on you. However don’t come crying to us when you loose a finger or worse. The blade or bit will not care if the material is wood, leather, cloth or skin. It will grab, twist and pull before it rips.
The smoke you see from soldering is from the flux not the solder itself. This smoke is not the best stuff to be inhaling. Use a fan at the very least to pull the smoke away. I have an old CPU fan that I have wired up to a wall wart transformer. I place it near where I am soldering. This pulls the smoke away and disburses it in the room. Not the best solution but at least I am not breathing the full concentration. The next best solution is to attach a pipe to the exhaust side of the fan and vent it outside. If you want something a little better than a plain fan look at this one that you can purchase at DigiKey.
Well, there may be another way around the circle issue, but I can’t think of any practical alternative to your rectangular recess.
As for the painting, it’s straight from a can, using a roller. I was told from the start that it applied thin coats so I actually applied 3 coats (over 2 coats of primer) before attempting to sand.
How many times should I do this before leaving it to dry? The ultimate goal is to get rid of the usual texture the applicator leaves (i.e. brush strokes, orange peel).
Re: gloves… to the best of my knowledge, the only time they are suggested (in woodworking context) is when using certain power sanders like random orbits, sheet and finish sanders. The vibrations can actually cause damage over longer periods of use.
P.S.: Zebra…that pic is definitely the joke of the day :lol:.
With all this talk about safety, I need to add something. I won’t spurt out a list of do’s and don’ts for each tool or class of tools - there’s plenty of info on that already in these forums (but when in doubt, ask). Rather, just a few simple suggestions that might save someone a world of grief.
RTFM - read the f… manual (f=fine, btw). Step one to safety with any tool is understanding it BEFORE you start using it, and the manual itself is intended to do just that. All of the power tool manuals I have include a section on safety.
Google… keywords “safety” “[name of power tool]”. There are plenty of folks out there who have been doing this stuff for ages…take a few minutes to read what they have to say. I learned plenty of stuff I wouldn’t otherwise have considered.
Think about what you’re doing before, during and until the job is done.
That’s it…hoping all your cuts are happy cuts:).
dont be hard! youre more experienced than i am and im here to learn! I always tought wearring glove could protect me. Well looks like i should never wear gloves with a router wich is new to me!
with a bench saw there is no problem right wearing gloves?
Going out on a limb here…if by bench saw you mean table saw, the same risk applies…if for whatever reason your hand passes close to the blade, and the blade grabs your glove, it will draw the rest of your fingers/hands into the blade. Better losing a flap of skin than the whole finger, or 2, or 3…
That said, if your hand is likely to pass that close to the blade to make a cut, you should be using a pushstick/pushpad or jig appropriate for the job.
First I just want to say, This Thread is amazing!!!
Ok I got a question for the pros
What finish do you use on your exotics?
I’ve seen most people are using a wipe on poly or wax, I’ve been using a spray on 90 sheen Lacquer but I know this may not be the best finish for some of these woods. So I was hoping you guys could give me and anyone else interested some other options.
Some woods are very oily and others are very porous. I know there are many different methods so I’ll list some different woods I’ve picked up and let you guys list the different finishes you would use.
Zebra
Wenge
Padauk
Cocobolo
Pau Ferro
Purple Heart
bocote
Lacewood
Domestics
Curly Maple
Cherry
Walnut
Oak
Here’s a pick just for fun
I really wish i could buy some zebrawood and work it. Im not broke , but im not enough experienced to work with costly wood right now!
yep table saw. I got a Craftsman table saw like this one.
There is a pushbar with it ( that i actually use) . got if for 60% off wich was a steal!
also bought this mitre saw for cheap!
http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B0028TNNIW/sr=1-2/qid=1246381586/ref=sr_1_2/177-7614771-0457567?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core&mqnodeid=397000011
bench saw = portable table saw right? I wouldn’t really recommend using gloves for that either. Your hands should come nowhere near to the blade anyways because once you get that close you should be using a stick or something to feed the wood into it.
That saw blade can chew through wood like butter and the same goes for your bones / skin. A glove will not protect you because it will just get cut and even if it gets cut it may still get grabbed by the blade. You really don’t want your hand getting pulled into a saw.
If you wear a kevlar glove it may or may not get cut, but you will definitely get pulled into the blade. Saw blades spin fast and have a lot of torque so I think it’s even more dangerous because it will pull you in even more before the blade stalls.
Leather/work gloves are only really useful to wear when moving materials around or placing them. Latex/Nitrile for working with paints, thinners, etc. Rubber for working with paint strippers (the gels that make paint bubble up). Forgot about that but vma is right about the palm sanders, thick gloves can help your hands with the vibrations.
So you are applying it with a brush? Hmm, I don’t know if my method will work then because I learned it with sprays. If you do want to try it then you let the paint flash dry, it will look dry but if you touch it it’s still wet, and then apply the next coat.
Otherwise, thin coats are for sprayed paints, try applying thicker coats. In between each coat wetsand with a block and 400 grit sandpaper just a little, don’t try to remove all of the orange peel/brush strokes yet, just try to smooth it out a little. Mix some soap in the water too and always keep the surface and your paper wet. Once you get to the last layer of paint do 400 grit to remove imperfections, 800 grit to remove sanding marks from 400 and then 1000 grit to remove the 800 grit marks and then clearcoat.
As far as how many coats to put, no idea lol, you want to build it up thick enough to work it. It all depends how thick you make each coat, I’d say 3 really nice thick coats should be good.
Damn VOLTECH those woods look delicious
If you are talking about any tool with a motor and sharp blades or bits take the gloves off. If you are using a saw where you supply the power then I’d say you’re ok. The real key here is how fast the blade is moving. In a tablesaw it is moving at over 3,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). A router is spinning that bit even faster, 10,000 rpm and faster. With speeds that fast you have no time to react to save your hand. My drill press was only spinning at 600 rpm and still I am scared for life.
On oily woods start out with 2-3 coats of shelac. This will seal the wood and allow any other finish to adhere without difficulity. If you don’t want the shelac to change the color of the wood get what is called ‘blond’ shelac.
For porus woods such as Oak and Walnut the choice is your’s if you want to fill the grain or not. Some people like the look of the pores showing others don’t. There are several ways to fill the grain. I would google grain filler and finishing. Do some research and choose a method that will work for you.
For figured woods such as curly maple I like to make that figure show. There are a few ways to ‘pop’ the grain. One of my favorite is to use a wood dye. There have been a few sticks finished like this recently including some of my own. With wood dye you have two choices paint it on and leave it or paint it on and then lightly sand. Play around and see what you like better.
Even though I am mentioning this last this next topic is the first thing you should do, Surface Preparation. Here you have two choices to smooth out the wood. Hand planes or sandpaper. If you have gone through this thread then you know my preference, especially with figured woods, hand planes. No matter which method you choose the goal is to get the surface smooth and ready for the finish to be applied.
One bit of advice if you have both methods at your disposal, hand plane first then sand. If you sand the wood first then decide to use a hand plane you run the risk of dulling your blade quickly. Sanding grit from the paper will break off and get embeded into the wood. This leaves little land mines for your plane to run into.
The only way to get experience is to practice. Don’t use pine or other soft woods. Start off with a hardwood like maple. Maple is one of the easiest to finish because of the tight grain there are no pores to fill. As long as the grain is straight maple doesn’t blotch like poplar or cherry can when applying a stain. If the maple you are using is figured it will show when you apply a stain.
Another choice is poplar. This is one of the softest hardwoods avaliable. However poplar will blotch like crazy when you apply a stain. It soaks up the stain so fast that you don’t have time to wipe it off and it can turn out real dark. There are a few tricks though that will help. Use a diluted shelac before applying stain. This partly seals the wood so it won’t soak up the stain so quickly. Or use a gel stain, this stays on the surface better. One final trick is to use a wood dye instead of stain. Cherry can also blotch like poplar but not to the same extent.
I prefer to use poplar if the case I am building is to be painted. If the case is to be stained I would go with a different hardwood. I tend not to use stain at all. My prefference is to let the natural color of the wood show unless I want to use a dye.
Michael
Thanks much for the suggestions Crazed - I’ll give them a shot.
I’m using a roller - I mentioned brush strokes as an example. The roller leaves a texture like an orange peel, and that’s what I want to smooth out before clearcoat.
Thanks for the info.
I actually have some 3/4’‘x 3-1/4’’ maple flooring left , i could try to work with that.
Once you clip the triggers off the 360 pad you should be able to get the stick down to 1 3/4". As for the mdf you could also route out a small section big enough for the pcb to give you another 1/4" to work with 
You could always head down to the wood store and buy a few small strips of the zebra wood for testing purposes. What I would recommend is if you have a woodcraft nearby pick up a small pack of small exotic blanks an start there, not too pricey and you get a variety to test