Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Jake the peg...

... diddle-iddle-iddle-um, with my wooden leg, diddle-iddle-iddle-um. What, no Rolf Harris fans out there singing along? How wise. Hey, I didn't know he was yet another one with a birthday on March 30th - about the only obvious thing he and Van Gogh have in common... But I digress. I blog not to discuss entertainers of Australian origin, but rather as a lame (ho, ho) link into my own wooden leg adventures. Particularly to say I got some wedges like this:
And with the aid of spirit level and the thickness of two fingers - the preferred Brown Unit of measurement for this task - determined the seat slope:
Then measured to assertain that to get the pommel height of 18 1/2" I'd need to take off 5 1/4" (okay, so I was a little generous in my leg length...), so made a high tech marking gauge to achieve marking of same. Viz: A piece of wood 5 1/4" long registered on the flat and level bench top and a pencil:
I then got out my 10pt 22" panel saw - straight back, nib, rather awful metal "rivet" type saw nuts and an unremarkable beech handle. Cuts like a dream and I think that's probably despite my sharpening job on it. Maker unknown, alas. Anyway, got out the saw, laid the chair down on its side on a padded surface and did the evil deed. The amutated feet are there for all to see. All saws are amputation saws...
Chamfered the edges after only a tiny bit of tweaking needed on one leg to stop it rocking:

A good overall sanding and a spit coat of shellac to protect it from the immediate danger of marks and blemishes - the fresh shellac is lurking in the bottom of a jar dissolving as I type - and it's A-okay:
How do I know it's okay? Gentle reader, I have no photographic evidence to prove it, but. Well. The fact is...

I sat on it.
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8 comments:

  1. Anonymous4/05/2006 01:56:00 pm

    so made a high tech marking gauge to achieve marking of same. Viz: A piece of wood 5 1/4" long registered on the flat and level bench top and a pencil:

    Now, I'd have used a surface gauge...

    BugBear

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alf4/05/2006 07:47:00 pm

    That's 'cos you have a surface gauge. I'd have had to stop and make another tool, and before you say it - don't :~P

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4/07/2006 07:53:00 am

    Phew, scary moment trimming through those legs I bet? :-)

    Adam

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alf4/07/2006 08:08:00 am

    You know "measure twice, cut once"? Well it was more than twice, I tell you that much...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4/07/2006 04:27:00 pm

    Yeah, I think trimming legs--chair or otherwise--is one of the most stressful activities in woodworking!

    Looks and sounds like you did great, though.

    Take care, Mike

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous4/07/2006 05:40:00 pm

    That's 'cos you have a surface gauge.

    What is this "A" surface gauge of which you speak?

    Does it imply singularity?

    BugBear

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous4/07/2006 09:54:00 pm

    I'm Jake the peg, diddle-iddle-iddle-um
    With my extra leg, diddle-iddle-iddle-um
    Whatever I did they said was false
    They said "quick march" I did the quick waltz
    Then they shouted at me "put your best foot forward" - but which foot?
    I said "it's very fine for you, you only got a choice of two"
    But me, I'm Jake the Peg, diddle-iddle-iddle-um
    With the extra leg... diddle-iddle-iddle-um

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous4/07/2006 09:57:00 pm

    Coming along great Alf

    ReplyDelete

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