5 Sep
2009
5 Sep
'09
9:09 a.m.
At 08:48 AM 9/5/2009 -0500, you wrote:
On Sat, Sep 5, 2009 at 1:01 AM, Chuck Guzis<cclist
at sydex.com> wrote:
I have a pocket jig. It's a neat idea and have used it on occasion, but I
don't make a lot of furniture at this time of my life, so I haven't used it
extensively. I can see where you could turn out stuff that doesn't look
shlocky, with exposed screw heads and looking like it was knocked together
by someone with no background in woodworking for stuff that is to be used
inside the house.
In a true vintage thread, that's why a fair
number of people buy
antique furniture--or, like Brian, build their own (I enjoy doing
that too). There's no shortage of good wood; the furniture makers
would rather deal with a standardized stable manufactured product
than have to deal with the issues that accompany real wood.
So you wind up with a hunk of sawdust and glue with no strength, but
that can be popped out like cookies from a bakery.
I can understand Tony's appreciation for old gear from my own
experience with currently manufactured furniture.
I stopped buying furniture altogether. I needed to make a table to go
under the flat screen to hold the game consoles. I threw it together
in an afternoon from 2x4s. It looks like 2x4 furniture, but works
great. My grandkids will probably be using it 40 years from now.
I'll make something nice later.
If you guys want a quick and easy way to throw furniture together,
like shelves for classic machines or a desk or stand, you should look
into pocket screws. 2x4s (or wider) a miter saw, a drill, and a kreg
pocket hole screw kit is all you need. The screws are really strong,
more than it looks. And it takes practically no skill to make
something durable and functional. Particle board and MDF (medium density fiberboard) are
used in
furniture for one reason. It's cheap. Over the last 50 years, the
Reason number two: It's dimensionally stable and doesn't warp when the
humidity changes. I like it for stuff that I build for the basement-
benches and etc. But it's not what I'd choose for cabinetry in the living
quarters.
brian
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