How to Make Non Toxic Paste Wax

Ive used plenty of paste wax in my wood working adventures and never worried about the ingredients until I started making utilitarian items. My finishes for bowls, cutting boards, or any other item to be used with food are solvent free and 100% natural.  I thought Id share a recipe for non-toxic paste wax.  The best part is its super easy and you get to melt stuff!
So heres the catch, you married men should first request clearance to the kitchen.  Well be melting wax in a double boiler on her stove top.  Godspeed.

Assuming you have permission to use the kitchen (I dont want any messages from angry wives, they scare me) you will need a few items.

• A pot to boil water in (can be one of her pots as long as you have permission)
• A metal container in which to blend your melted wax and oil (I used the same container for storage)
• A heavy duty grater (seriously, dont use the cheese grater you got as a wedding present)
• Bees Wax
• Carnuba Wax
• Tung Oil / Walnut Oil
• 1/3 cup measuring cup
• The most important item!  Pliers or vise grips to remove the mixture with.
• Something to stir with.  Non melty is a plus!

The least fun part of this project is grating the wax.  Especially if you have a wimpy grater.  Had I considered how hard wax is compared to cheese, I would have coughed up the extra cash and bought a good grater.  Oh well.  The recipe I used is pretty simple.  

• 1/3 cup Bees Wax
• 1/3 cup Carnuba Wax
• 1 cup Walnut or Tung Oil

This makes a wax that is easy to apply and buff out.  Changing the ratio of Bees wax to Carnuba wax will change characteristics of your finish.  Carnuba wax is very hard and brings out great luster to a piece.  Bees wax can also give a nice shine, but will dull more quickly than Carnuba wax.  

So why use Bees wax at all?  Well, its much cheaper and is more malleable.  If you had a paste wax that was just made up of Carnuba wax and oil, it would be a crumbly mess.  Aside from that, I dont want my cutting board to shine like a new Lamborghini after treating it with paste wax.  This is the main reason for using a blend instead of just one wax.  By altering the recipe, you can control the sheen and durability of a paste wax finish.

Enough of the wordy stuff, let get on with it already.

Before you start melting wax, add enough water to the pot so that the water level is about 1/2" below the top of your melting container.

Add the wax and oil to your container and turn up the heat.  You can go ahead and crank it up, but be sure to turn the heat down before the water starts to boil.  You dont really want water in your paste wax, so try to avoid it.  A little wont cause any major trouble, but just be mindful that the less water in your paste wax, the better.

Once everything is melted, you can take the container out of the pot of water with pliers.  The stuff is kinda hot...  Spilling is not recommended.

As the wax cools, keep stirring the mixture so that the oil does not separate.  Putting the container on a cooling rack helps to speed up the cool down process.  Ive also put the container in the fridge for about a minute at a time when the mixture is fresh out of the hot water.

Once the wax is cooled, its ready to use.  Be sure to write down your recipe so that you can repeat it once you run out, or so you have a starting place for changing up your paste wax recipe in the future.

This is a basic recipe and you can certainly add colorants or metallic flakes to the wax for a different effect.

I hope you enjoyed the post.  Let me know if you try it out for yourself and feel free to comment or ask any question you may have.  Thank for reading, yall! 

Read more

a couple of white oak tables

we shipped two tables to marblehead yesterday.  theyve been in the works for a while, pending completion of a remodeling project in the house.  the dining table was 12 long with the leaves on the ends, and the coffee table was a pretty good sized one too at 48 x 68. 

we started with some 8/4 plain sawn white oak from hal moore at adirondack hardwoods..

the construction of the base was straightforward mortise and tenon and the leg style was based on a drawing the clients architect sent us of the leg on the new kitchen island.

the clients wanted to occasionally extend the table, but didnt want the leaves in the center, so sam fabricated some 3/4 square steel pull out supports.

and chris added the wooden locators as well as some steel locking devices to keep the leaves attached to the table when they were added.

closed, the leaf supports are totally unobstrusive.

weve made quite a number of these classic parsons style tables.  for step by step construction tips and a brief history of the origin of the design, check these other previous blog posts

looks like a nice place to hang out !

Read more

Look Where to buy wood for projects

Useful Where to buy wood for projects must try

Wood pallet projects: cool and easy-to-make projects for, Wood pallet projects: cool and easy-to-make projects for the home and garden paperback. We, Best answer: http://www.justgaragekits.com/ http://www.abshomes.com/html/panel_optio… http://www.cabins.ca/ http://www.steelmasterusa.com/garages/in….

Www.woodcrafter.com - wood craft wooden products, Offering wood craft supplies as well as traditional art supplies.. Where to buy beer online - the beerfathers beer blog, The beerfathers share their thoughts on where to buy beer online in their beer blog..

Where to buy beer online - the beerfathers beer blog, The beerfathers share their thoughts on where to buy beer online in their beer blog.. Binkys woodworking - how to build projects, 100s of free, Free woodworking plans and advice for the novice to intermediate woodworker.. 1927 countryside lane diy projects at our new-ish home, Diy projects at our new-ish home (by chris millspaugh). How to transfer prints to wood: an awesome photography diy, A post by: james brandon. one thing i love about my family is that there never seems to be a shortness of creativity floating around. my wife kristin works with her. Do you love where you live, A collection of things to improve your life and where you live. Easiest way to get old paint off wood furniture? - yahoo, Best answer: heat gun. warm it up, scrape it off. wear gloves. do it outside, keep water close in case it catches fire. before you can start the.

Plans For Bed » Blog Archive » Beginner Woodworking Plans Do You

Where to buy wood working tools where to find the best buys

- DIY Project Supplies - Classical Rubber Band Launcher Wooden

This Where to buy wood for projects

Where to buy wood for projects ,
10 out of 10 based on 55 ratings

Read more

Game table woodworking

For you Game table woodworking

UBILD728 - Game Table Vintage Woodworking Plan

Portable game woodworking plans - WoodShop Plans

Concertina Hinge Game Table - Readers Gallery - Fine Woodworking

Read more

small woodworking ideas to sell

Nice small woodworking ideas to sell must see

Small woodworking plan, Wood truss plans – step by step diy woodworking blueprints pdf download how to build a wood truss plans with quality plans. unity watch myself a sir henry wood shed. Hot selling items. woodworking ideas? - yahoo answers, Oil feild, your a clueless idiot,if your a woodworker you must suck at it i make lots of money selling my woodworking projects. you stick with your walmart.

Yahoo merchant solutions: small business webhosting, *source: internet retailer, 2010 edition. 1 yahoo merchant solutions and yahoo web hosting discount offer is open to new yahoo small business customers only.. Building and restoring wood-canvas canoes and other small, Builds and restores wood and canvas and all wood canoes..

Building and restoring wood-canvas canoes and other small, Builds and restores wood and canvas and all wood canoes.. Family bugs blogging how to sell hand-made goods (focus, Whether you’ve just started selling your crafts, are still thinking about selling, or have been selling for years or even decades, there is an important something. Cool easy wood projects – how to build diy woodworking, Cool easy wood projects – step by step diy woodworking blueprints pdf download how to build a cool easy wood projects with quality plans. cool easy wood. Fine woodworking contest: build a small table for a chance, Fine woodworking contest: build a small table for a chance to win woodworking tools & supplies by mark stephens november 8th, 2013 all photos use. Sba.gov community - small business administration (sba), Online forums, news and resources that connect small business owners with industry and government experts.. Landscaping a small backyard - squidoo, W hat do you think of when you are planning on landscaping a small backyard? do you worry that your little slice of heaven is too small for any kind of garden?.

Wood plans free - small wooden boat blueprints

Small Wood Projects Ideas – How To build DIY Woodworking Blueprints

Gail Green for Green & Co., Inc. Add drama to a dining room with

Read more

a pair of antique doors

another interesting and challenging project here involving some antique doors.  the clients purchased them in austin, texas for the home they were/are building in londonderry,vermont.  weve done a number of other projects there, and were currently working on a reclaimed chestnut king size bed for them that should be completed and ready for finishing this week.

by the time i got involved with the doors, the hole for them was already framed up, and was both narrower 

and taller (standard r.o.height, 82.5") than the doors, which were about 73" x 39" wide as a pair.

we brought them into the shop and did some conceptualizing.  first off, the large strap hinges were trapped between the two layers that made up the doors rather than applied to the face of the door, which is their typical location.

typically, with big strap hinges like these, you block the door in place, apply the hinges, remove the blocking and youre good to go.  having the hinges behind the frame and panel parts of the doors, changed the location of the hingess pivot point, which meant we had to create a space for the frame and panel part of the door to open into.

and then there was the hinge pintles themselves, which had to be screwed into the frames before the frame was mounted to the wall, or the wall would be in the way ... houston, we have a problem came to mind several times in the engineering of this project. 

anyway, we figured it out, more or less.  in the end we had to add a 3/8ths shim behind the frame, both to keep the irregular backs of the doors from binding against the wall itself and to cover the space where the doors set away from the frames when they were closed.  still with me?  good!

 

here they are in the test hang position

 

and in this photo, you can see the white wall behind where we had to add the shims

then, back at the shop we had to add 8" or so to the bottom of both doors; antique and color the frame; add the steel parts sam fabricated to hold the lock and then take them back over and install them permanently

another fun and challenging one

see trevor adding the extensions on the bottoms of the doors below ... we maybe should have added a couple pieces of steel to the extensions, but we were, as they say, a bit over budget, and
it was time to hang em.

check those rough planks ...

really rough planks

 

very, very cool old objects, and i cant even guess their age.  they are real.  and they are old.  im thinking maybe the planks were the doors first and the frames and panels were added later as decorations .

Read more

How to Build a Picnic Table Step by Step Guide

This post will show you how to build a picnic table exactly like the one shown in the photo below.  I think this picnic table would make a wonderful addition to your outdoor summer experience at home.  When correctly built and finished you will be able to enjoy this woodworking project for many years to come.  I built mine using everyday woodworking tools that could be bought very cheaply second hand or borrowed from a neighbour.  I used plans that I downloaded and were essential when it came time to build my picnic table.  Just follow the step by step guide below and it will teach you everything you need to know about building a picnic table.

You can make this picnic table, just keep reading!

 

 

Step 1:  Materials list and tools used

The materials used were bought at my local hardware store quite cheaply:

• 2x4s
• 2x6s
• 2x8s
• 3" x 3/8" galvanised carriage bolts
• 2 1/2", 3" and 4" inch decking screws
• Outdoor wood varnish

Thankfully all the tools I needed, I already owned:

• Circular saw
• Sabre saw
• 3m tape measure
• Framing square
• Combination square
• Cordless drill and an assortment of bits
• C-clamps and bar clamps
• Ratchet set
• Paint brushes
• Safety specs
• 120 and 220 grit sandpaper

Terminology used in the guide

Step 2:  Cutting the legs to length

Cut the legs to length using a circular saw.  Clamp your framing square at 60 degrees to the end of the 2x8 and use this as a fence to run your circular saw against to ensure a perfect 60 degrees.  Obviously, you need to do this 8 times.

Step 3:  Cutting the table slats

Cut the table slats to length from a 2x8.  The top edges of the slats may be rounded off using a router or giving a light run with a smoothing plane.

 

Step 3: Prepare the end table and centre table supports

This involves cutting a 60 degree angle on the ends of the supports.  This cuts down on weight slightly and makes for a more knee friendly table.

Step 4: Creating the picnic table top

The table top assembly requires the two

end table supports and the centre table

support.  Spacers are used in between the slats, during assembly, to allow a space between the slats for rainwater drainage while maintaining a practical table

surface.

            Drill pilot holes, 2 for each slat on both end table supports and the centre support.  Countersink the holes so that the screw head finishes flush with the bottom surface of the supports.

            Screw the supports to the table slats.  You may use a wood glue if desire for extra rigidity.

 

 

 Step 5: Attaching the legs

 

 
Clamp the legs in place and position them on each of the centre slats and on the outer face of the end support faces.  The legs will be attached with some galvanised carriage bolts with washers.  It is very important to use galvanised elements as they resist corrosion and ensure that your table will be held together securely.

 

Drill some clearance holes for the bolts.  It is a good idea to drill clearance holes which are very slightly smaller than the bolt diameter.  This will make for a very rigid leg structure.  The bolts will be tightened from the inside.  The counterboring ensures that the end of the bolt does not protrude underneath the table and possibly injure somebody while sitting.  Also, ensure that you use a galvanised washer.  This will spread the load applied when tightening the bolt and minimise any puncturing of the wood and prevent any ingress of water into the timber, which will result in premature rotting of the wood.  You can plug the counterbore with some clear silicone after you have finished tightening the bolts.

 

Step 6:  Attaching the bench supports to the legs

 

Mark the position of the bench support and clamp to the legs using a c-clamp.   Mark the position of the holes. Using deck screws and a cordless screwdriver attach the bench supports.

 

 

 

Step 7:  Cut and attach the braces

 

Using 2x4s cut the braces to length and cut

60 degree angles on both ends.  Centre

the brace on the bench support and drill

pilot holes for the decking screws.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 8: Cut the bench cleats and attach

 

Use spacers to space out the bench slats and fix the bench slats together using the bench cleat.  Clamp the assembly together usingbar clamps.  Drill pilot holes and fix using decking screws.  For extra strength you may choose to use two bench cleats.

 

 

 

Step 9:  Fix the bench to the bench support

 

Position the benches onto the bench supports and hold them in place using the c-clamps.  See the position guides in the diagram

Drill pilot holes on the underside of the

bench supports.  Attach the benches to the

bench supports using decking screws.

 

 

Step 10: Sand and finish

Using a sanding block and some 120 grit paper give the surfaces a sanding. Sand in the direction of the grain to give a smoother finish.  If you are in a hurry then may choose not to sand on the surfaces that are not visible.  Using a vacuum cleaner suck all the dust off the surfaces.  Using 220 grit sandpaper, sand again.  This should leave a smooth surface. Again vacuum the surface and rub all surfaces with a tack cloth.  Note: A tack cloth is a lint free cloth that has been impregnated with a wax that will grab all bits of dust from your woodworking project.  If you want to stain the wood I would recommend using a pre-conditioner if you have built your picnic table from pine.  The pre-conditioner helps softwoods like pine to stain more evenly.  Once the picnic table has been dusted you may apply a coat of outdoor varnish.  Allow to dry for 24 hours.

 

Conclusion:

I hope that you have enjoyed this project.  It can be easily done over a weekend and will last for years to come.  If you need some blueprints. I bought a very good set of plans online.

Read more