The future of reclaimed lumber?

 Seems like every week, I get an email or a call from someone asking me to build something out of reclaimed lumber. That's always dicey, as the chance for finding nails or screws in the wood is a real concern.  

Finding bullets in boards is pretty common, too. Most people don't think about that, but shooters often attach targets to trees, and aim at them. So trees can be riddled with bullets, which make their way to lumber mills, which end up on your workbench. Running a board through my planer - and discovering a piece of metal embedded in it can be a nightmare. Blades are expensive, and the downtime for replacing the blades is a real concern. 

My buddy Eric sent this video, and I was fascinated to see that someone has come up with a machine that will inspect a board for metal, and then remove it. After it is removed, the machine then x-rays the board to ensure there's nothing left!

How does this all get accomplished? That's even more interesting - the metal fragments are targeted with induction heat, thus charring the wood around the screw or nail. This makes it easier to pull out the metal culprit. Brilliant!

This ten-minute video is worth a look!

Finishing up the Porter Cable 690 router repair

The router parts finally arrived - the two new bearings and a new set of brushes. 

Installing the larger bearing was simple.

 It slipped very nicely in place, and I re-installed the snap ring that holds it in place. 

But then I turned to the armature, where the smaller bearing was to be installed. 

It was a super tight fit, and I had to grease it, in order for it to slide on.

 I slipped a socket over the top of it, so that even pressure was applied when I tapped it into place.  

The armature fit nicely back in the body, 

and this nut holds everything in place. It's a 1" nut, and I tightened it down with an impact driver, all while holding the armature on the other end with a rag. 

There are a lot of sharp fan blades on the other end of the armature, so the rag is definitely needed!

Finally - I put the top cap in place, making sure that all of the wiring was pushed away from moving parts, and that nothing would bind. 

 Last thing to replace were the two brushes - and WOW - those were a PAIN to install. My hands are pretty small, but even so - my fingers got in the way of holding down the brush spring, all while slipping the top plastic cap in place. 

Seriously - it took longer to install the two brushes than the whole time it did to replace the bearings. There must be a trick to it that I was missing. 

But finally - the router was buttoned up, plugged in and working fine. 

 If you ever see one of these (Porter-Cable 690 series router) at a garage sale or flea market, I highly recommend that you snap it up! They are out of production and when they're gone, you'll be out of luck! Just the fact that they made two differently sized collets for it, as well as a fixed and plunge base makes this one of the most versatile routers out available.

 

I love repairing tools!

 It's been a month since I posted anything here, but don't think I've been sitting around eating bonbons. 

I've managed to squeeze in a trip back east, organized a swap meet, and now that cooler weather has arrived, jumped back on the mountain bike for some great rides.

  I picked up a Porter Cable router at the swap meet.

It was one of the old reliable 690 series, which is now officially out of production. If you can find one, snap it up! They were the best router ever made, in my opinion. 

But the router I bought sounded a little rough. Did it need brushes? New bearings? Both are pretty cheap, and very easy to replace. 

I ordered two sets of brushes on eBay, but the bearings were a little trickier. The place where I almost always buy my tool parts had the bearings. But at over $6 for each bearing, and $12 for shipping - I decided to pass on buying them. 

I've purchased bearings quite a few times from PGN Bearings online, and their prices are ridiculously inexpensive. One company quoted me $12 for a bearing (I needed several) and I bought them at PGN for around a dollar. So I knew that's where I'd be buying them. I just needed to take them out, so I could find the part number on them. 

I removed the base, 

and then the two screws that hold the top cap in place.

Now's a good time to pull out the old brushes. They're behind that big plastic black cap. 

 I was surprised to find that they were in pretty good shape. I've already ordered replacements (shoulda checked them first!) but I'll probably re-use these. They look almost new. 

 After the brushes are out, two more screws are removed and I was ready to pull the case apart. It's best to use a marker and draw a registration line on the top and bottom, so things go back the correct way (and easy) way. 

After the two screws came out, the case popped apart (with the whack of a rubber mallet)... 

and the armature was revealed. That small bearing on the top was the first bearing to remove, and although I tried to do it carefully with two flat blade screwdrivers, it wouldn't budge. 

My buddy Phil, from Bison Tools, taught me that "two screwdriver" trick.  I just found out a few days ago that he passed away. He was a tool repair genius, and once changed the complete set of bearings in my jointer in under an hour. Talented guys like him are rare and disappearing - RIP Phil.

Since the bearing wasn't budging, and I knew I needed a gear puller, like the one shown below. 

I stopped by my mechanic's shop and borrowed his - and the bearing popped off in 3 seconds! 

I needed an impact wrench to remove the nut that holds the armature and collet in place, but once it was removed, the second bearing was revealed.  

It's held in place with a snap ring, so snap ring pliers are needed to get that bad boy out.

And boom - here are the two old bearings. One seemed fine, but the other had a bit of a drag on it. That was probably the culprit!

So I went to PNG's website and typed in the numbers on the bearings.  I ordered two of each - they were less than $1.50 a piece, and within two hours of ordering it, I got a shipping notice. They're on the way!

It shoud be easy to install the new bearings when they arrive later this week, and (fingers crossed) this router will be running like a top in no time! 

Stay tuned for the re-assembly!

 Just finishing up a Power Tool Woodworking class, and I couldn't be more proud of what this group has accomplished. 

When they first joined me in the woodshop, all but one had never touched a tablesaw. Here it is, four weeks later and they've lost that "tool fear" that is so common to new students. Every single one of them performed some pretty complex techniques on the tablesaw, and all of them installed a set of brass hinges with finess and without needing band-aids!

To me, that's a win-win!

Need a Recommendation for a Day Trip?

It's getting harder and harder to get weekly blog posts here, because there are SO many things to do here. Not just in town, but little day trips - those are the hidden gems that distract me from doing any woodworking. 

Oh, don't get me wrong - there's always a project that needs completing, or emails and phone calls to return. But the weather has cooled, football season is starting up, and everyone seems to be in better moods, now that the 115 degree days are over. 

My buddy Rick and I decided to head to Rachel, Nevada, about 2 hours north of Vegas, for a little day trip. 

Anyone in the area knows that to get there - you'll head up the Extraterrestrial Highway, toward Area 51, the super secret military installation where just trespassing a bit too far will land you in jail. Once you're out of the city, the road is mostly empty except for scattered farms and occasional livestock. You literally can see the road stretch out before you for miles, and behind you for miles. 

This cow was visible miles away, mostly because of the contrast between the scenery and its jet black body. We thought it was a black rock on the side of the road. Poor thing, it was just across the highway from the rest of its herd. 

Seriously - this place is desolate. 

Our destination was the Little Ale'Inn - a bar and grill/gift shop/motel. You'll see this truck off in the distance, 

and when you get closer, you'll realize there's a flying saucer hanging from the tow boom. 

Parking is easy, 

and don't be surprised if you see several tour busses in the parking lot. It's a hot spot for anyone who loves shows like The X-Files, or Twilight Zone. It attracts a diverse and fun crowd.

You'll be greeted by some interesting visitors, 

 and just inside the door - the bar ceiling is littered with money. I don't know the significance of this - if anyone knows - fill me in! 

Don't come for the food - the single page menu is fine, but your choices are pretty limited. 

No one is driving 150 miles for a hamburger. It's the ambiance that makes this place really fun and special. Sure, it's dated, and there aren't that many tables. 

 But once you've ordered, it's time to check out the artwork and all the tchotchkes that feature all things ALIEN!

From posters 

to blow up dolls, pillows, furries, and WAY more.

 I like the wall of celebrity photos, each signed and dated from people who have visited.

 Did you know that MANY movies have been filmed here at the Inn and in the vicinity? Check this out!

 You can spend hours checking out the wall that features actual (?) photos and articles about aliens and spaceships 

 I'm a sucker for kitsch alien art, and there's no shortage of it here. Their "merch" is varied and super fun - 

everything from alien hot sauces and beef jerky to shot glasses, clothing, beers 

liquor, 

dolls, 

and more than I can even remember!

I don't know why I didn't pick up one of these certificates - you never know when you might need one!

All in all - this is a sweet day trip for any true believers, of which I am one. 

If you've never ventured out to Rachel, I highly recommend it.