one saw donkey dry fitted.......

I believe I was overly ambitious in expecting to get both saw donkeys dry fitted tonight. As it was, I barely got the first one done by 1700. Working 4x4s is a lot different with hand tools than using machines.  A lot more relaxing with the hand tools but requires more effort with them.

daylight

The shoulder is out of square but in my favor. I have to chisel downward toward the shoulder cheek junction and it will be dead on.



chiseling my second tenon

I did all of the tenons with this chisel. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. My concerns were getting it flat and straight. I chiseled from both sides and I didn't get the hump I thought I would. However, I did miss a step in doing this yesterday that I corrected today.

using the corner

I was able to shave away at the tenon using the corner of the chisel but I had problems at the edge. I had to start past the edge and then come back to it.

what I missed doing

The first step is to chisel off a piece of the edge at an angle. That gives me a spot to start maneuvering the corner of the chisel.

starting point

much better this time around

not too bad

It is pretty flat all ways across the face. I did have a slight hump that I saw with the square and removed. A hump is much better than a hollow. I watched the chisel as I worked across the tenon face and I never was 100% sure that I was chiseling flat. For me it isn't something that I could see or gauge.  I guess that will come with more practice.

laying out the tenon

When I did the squaring of the 4x4s I made sure that they were square and the same on all 4 faces. I then shifted into anal mode and centered the mortise gauge on the 4x4. My layout was such that the mortise and tenons are the same so I only needed one gauge and one setting. And it didn't matter which face I picked to run my gauge. I did mark for the tenons and mortises from the same face when I laid out the individual ones.

sawing tenons

I saw parallel to the gauge line and about a 16th away from it. I placed a square against the saw to ensure that this saw cut was square.

first saw cut about an 8th of inch or so deep

saw down the first cheek

I ignore the top saw cut and concentrate on the saw going down the cheek at an angle. The saw will track in the first saw cut while I do this second one. I used to worry about this and tried my best to watch both saw cuts. This way is working for me. It won't fit the mortise off the saw but I don't mind trimming it to fit.

Once I have sawn down at an angle to shoulder I stop and repeat this on the other side. Once the two angled cuts are made, I saw straight down. Repeat for the other tenon cheek.

last time for this

I sawed the cheek first and then did the shoulder. I usually do the shoulder first and then the cheek but I had to see if there was any difference. I didn't see or feel any difference and I think I'll stick with doing shoulder then cheek.

can't forget to offset this next tenon

knot slowed things down

The knots (I had three of them) didn't present any special hiccups. I had to go a lot slower and I had to take smaller bites. I got through and around them, it just took a few extra minutes.

one saw donkey dry fitted

less than stellar joinery

I'll be wedging or doing something with this. I took off a little more than I should of on this tenon. It is loose and barely self supporting for only a 1/2 second.

about 28" high

This is the height that Richard made his and I am starting with that. I don't want it to be any lower and if I want it higher I can add wood to the bottom of the feet. One down and another to go. One thing I am going to do with my saw donkeys is that I'm adding an X brace to the legs.

accidental woodworker

trivia corner
What is the most shoplifted book in the world?
answer - the Bible

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