Simple Chicken Coop Ideas

The reason you’re probably here is cause you have a need for a quality chicken coop, but you need direction in where to find it, or how to build it.Some of the first things to consider when looking for a chicken coop are:

1) How much money can you spend on your chicken coop. Now this is an important part because the amount you can spend on the chicken coop can help determine if you would rather just go ahead buy the darn thing.

If you got money, but ya don’t have the time, then you might be better off just investing in a high quality coop for $500 to $3500, dependin on the size of course.2) How big your chicken coop needs to be. Thats the next thing you gotta think about. And now that depends on how many chickens you’re lookin at puttin in there.

A simple way to figure that out would be to multiply the number of chickens by 4-5 square feet. That’s how big. The reason for that is if ya get any smaller, your chickens might have health issues, and your hens may not lay as many eggs.

3) Next, where to put the chicken coop. Now, if you’re buying or building a moveable chicken coop, this aint as big of a deal. Well, because you can move it around and you aint gotta worry about these next couple things.

But if its a permanent chicken coop, then you need to think about what areas flood when it rains. You wouldn’t want to be puttin a chicken coop in an area where water is gonna get in it. Try to find level high ground, and it’ll be fine.

4) Ventilation is another thing to think about. You can get this by having a window so during the humid months or after a good rain, if it gets damp inside the chicken coop, it has a nice open window to air out.

A window is also good to have because you can let sun inside the chicken coop. Them hens love the warmth of the sun. Be sure to have some sort of screen or fencing over the window so things don’t get in. That brings me to the next point.

5) Last but not least, consider predators when buying or building a chicken coop. Screens or fencing over all the open spaces of your chicken coop will protect your chickens from predators.

You can get the best chicken coop plans here: http://impartialreviews.org/building-a-chicken-coop-review/

Well, there ya have it. Some simple chicken coop ideas. You can use these in buying or building a chicken coop. It doesn’t cover everything. But I hope you did get something out of it.

BoatbuiIder’s Pencil Dividers

While pencil dividers (or compass) are a handy tool for a carpenter, they are practically indispensable to boatbuilders. Most of the fits between pieces in a boat involve curves and compound angles. Scribing with dividers is usually the easiest and most accurate way of achieving a tight joint.

Do you lookind for woodworking plans? Teds Woodworking is the best woodworking projects package:

http://impartialreviews.org/teds-woodworking-review/

Just try Ted’s Woodworking and become the best woodworker

Using dividers to spile the shape of a plank is the preferred method of many builders, but scribing and spiling often require that the dividers be used in restricted spaces. The tool must also be rigid in its setting in order to do accurate work.

There are plenty of flimsy or delicate dividers on the market. There are some excellent rugged workshop methods; but the pencil is usually held at an angle to the leg, which restricts its usefulness in tight places.

The dividers presented here have proved to be most satisfactory in use. They are decent to look at and have a good feel in your hand.

Making the Dividers The Steel Leg

Procure a 3/l6″-thick piece of mild steel from a welding shop or steel fabrication shop.

Make a pattern of the shape (straight, not bent) from the illustrations shown here. Manila file folders make good pattern material.

Trace the pattern onto the steel, and make the long tapered cut with a hacksaw.

Form the round end by cutting off the corners of the steel leg with a hacksaw and finishing with a grinder and file.

Elegant and rugged in its simplicity, this tool ranks among the most useful items on the workbench.

Finish by drilling the 1/4″ hole, smoothing and rounding the edges, and shaping the point.

Do you looking for woodworking plans?

http://impartialreviews.org/furniture-craft-plans/

To form the major bend, clamp the leg edgeways in a stout vise with the wider end between the jaws. One-half of the leg (3/4″) should protrude above the vise jaws. Use hardwood clamp-pads flush with the top of the jaws. Strike the near side of the leg with a hammer about halfway from the vise to the tip. If the leg starts to bend sideways, remove it from the vise and hammer it straight on a piece of hardwood. Clamp the piece again, and continue the bend until it matches the drawing. The slight secondary bend at the tip of the leg can be formed in the same way.

Polish the leg, if you desire, by hand-sanding with progressively finer grades (150-, 220-, 320-grit) of either aluminum-oxide or silicon-carbide sandpaper.

The Wooden Leg

Saw and plane a block of hardwood to measure 5/8 x 3/4 x 4%”.

Trace a pattern of the side view on this blank. Cut out and finish to this shape.

Cut out the groove for the steel leg as follows: Carefully draw two parallel lines 3/16″ apart to define the sides of the groove. The groove will show 3lA” on the side where the steel leg goes and 3/4″ on the pencil side. Make two cuts with a fine saw to form the sides of the groove. A third cut down the middle will help to remove the unwanted wood. Remove the remaining wood with a narrow chisel and finish with a flat file. Take care to get a nice, sliding fit between the wooden leg and the steel leg at the end where the bolt will go.

Cut the pencil groove with chisel and files. Make the groove somewhat V-shaped and about lA” wide at the surface. You don’t want the pencil to roll at all when it is held in place with the spring clamp. If the groove is slightly concave lengthwise, this will help to hold the pencil solidly.

Drill a 1/4″ hole for the bolt. A piece of wood placed in the steel-leg slot while drilling will help ensure a nice, clean hole. Use a sharp, narrow knife to square up one side of the hole to accept the carriage-bolt head.

Taper the sides of the leg slightly. It should measure 5/8″ thick at the bolt hole and a little less than 9/16″ thick at the small end before it tapers to the tip. Mark the location of the seat for the spring clamp, and taper from the lower edge of the seat to the tip. Leave a strong 1/16″ of wood around the end of the pencil groove.

File the seat for the spring clamp. Use pliers to open the clamp, and trial-fit it often as you proceed.

Finishing

Assemble the dividers and see if the shape of the steel leg needs any fine-tuning in order to make a close fit with the pencil tip as shown in the drawing. Varnish the wooden leg.

Stepped Bits for Pilot Holes

Forty years ago, I built a 13′ sail boat fastened with galvanized wood screws. The screws were closely spaced around each plank and deck panel. There were many hundreds of fastenings. I didn’t know anything about special bits for drilling pilots holes for screws, and I didn’t know about Yankee screwdrivers and had never tried driving screws with a bit brace. For each screw I drilled a pilot for the threads, a larger hole for the shank, and then switched bits once again to countersink for the head. Luckily I didn’t need to counterbore for a plug as well. Since then, I have been introduced to the various bits designed to do the above operations all in one shot.

Do you need woodworking plans?

Here is Idea Woodworking Plans Review

Idea Woodworking – the best plans for all woodworkers

Of the many brands on the market, I, like many others, have settled on Fuller’s tapered drill bits and countersinks. They are of high quality, make a clean hole, and are adjustable. That means you have to buy only one drill countersink unit for each diameter of screw. Thus, the builder of small boats will find that four units (#6, #8, #10, and #12) will take care of nearly all his needs.

Several years ago my partner, Dave Thompson and I took a look at our methods of work to see if we could identify inefficient practices. One thing that seemed to take an inordinate amount of time was the adjusting of the tapered drill bit. We were always changing the length of the drill bit, sometimes to match different screw lengths and sometimes to allow for different densities of wood. The set-screws that lock the position of the countersink on the drill bit eventually wear and begin to slip. Sometimes, this is discovered only after several too-deep holes have been drilled.

It occurred to us that ifwe had a set of drill bits and countersinks that was fixed for the most-often-used sizes, the time we would save would justify their costs. A further saving in time would be realized if these bits were stored on the wall in a well-labeled rack.

Tapered drills are considerably more expensive than straight ones. The nine sizes we felt were needed for the screw sizes we most often used represented a formidable outlay of cash.

One way of saving money was to shape our own tapered bits from straight bits. (We would still buy Fuller’s countersinks to fit these bits.) This had further appeal as a replacement bit, suitable for tapering, and would be available from the local hardware store. We began to look closely at tapered bits in order to understand what it was that we were trying to reproduce.

The ideal drill bit would start out as a large as the shank (unthreaded part) of the screw. It would quickly step down in size where the threads begin, and then be parallel sided and slightly smaller in diameter than the root of the screw.

The threaded portion of screws is not tapered, although it appears so in the shorter sizes because of the last thread of two near the tip—which do diminish in diameter (see “A Look at Wood Screws” by Ed McClave in WoodenBoat magazine No. 54). A gradually tapering drill bit is, therefore, not the ideal shape but is a compromise necessary to achieve an adjustable tool. Only one place on the tapered drill is the proper diameter for a particular job. Very short screws will have undersized holes drilled for them and may split the delicate pieces they are fastening together. Long screws will have only part of their threads engaging the wood and will suffer a measurable loss of holding power. The tapered bit for #10 screws reaches the full diameter of the shank at a distance of 7/8″ from the tip. Any threads beyond that length are not fully contributing to holding power.

We had decided to give up adjustability and so were free to grind a drill bit to produce steps that matched each length of screw. We tested the holding power of the stepped shape against the tapered shape by driving two screws to equal depths in spruce. One pilot hole was made with a tapered bit, one with a stepped bit. We then engaged the head of the screw with a goosenecked wrecking bar. This bar had a stout stick of wood clamped to its shank to increase the length of the bar to 4′. We attached a spring scale to the end of the bar and pulled on the scale until the screw was torn from the wood. The force required to remove the screw was recorded.

All tests indicated an increase in holding power for the stepped bit. Using #8 x 1V4″ screws, the increase was 10%. For #10 x \lA” screws it was 5%, and for the #10 x IV2″ it was 15%.

Another disadvantage of the tapered bit is the amount of power required to bore a hole with it. When the bit is new and the edges of the flutes are sharp the power needed is not excessive, but it will still absorb more power than a straight bit because the entire length of the taper is cutting the wood. When the flutes become worn the bit becomes a dull wedge which burns its way into the wood. This is not a significant problem if you are using a 110- or 220- volt drill with plenty of power. It is a big problem with cordless drills, especially those in the lower voltage range. In contrast, the stepped bit needs only to have its point sharp. (The original sharpened point is not dulled during the shaping process.) The parallel sides of the bit slide easily into the hole made by the tip. In theory, the step itself (where the diameter increases from root to shank) does not receive a proper cutting shape from our grinding method. But, in practice, this makes no appreciable difference.

We have been using these home-grounded stepped bits for several years now, and I have no doubt that they have saved enough labor to pay for themselves many times over. They increase the holding power of screws while at the same time the screws are easier to drive. Often they need no lubricant. When we break a bit, we can grind a new one in five minutes at one-third the cost of a tapered bit.

We still use tapered bits for the occasional / screw that falls outside the range of our stepped bits, but we are quite addicted to the new system. The thought of all that adjusting now seems slow and inefficient.

Hold the drill bit and screw side by side with their points aligned. Using a felt-tipped marker, make a line around the drill corresponding to the point where the threads of the screw end and the unthreaded shank begin.

Dress the stone on your bench grinder, if necessary, until it has a flat face and sharp corners. A good wheel dresser is indispensable if you hope to do more than the crudest class of work with the grinder. Now position the tool rest as close to the stone as you can without touching it. Chuck the drill bit in a power drill and hold it across the rest parallel with the grinder’s motor shaft. Have a can of water close by.

With the drill turning in the same direction as the stone (meeting faces going in opposite directions), begin grinding down the diameter of the drill bit between the marked line and its point. Go slowly, being careful not to produce a taper or to grind past the marked line. Dip the bit in water every few seconds to keep it cool.

To check your progress, hold the drill between you and a light source. Pull the trigger to make the bit spin, and you will get a good sense of its shape. Make the step, or transition, from root diameter to shank diameter as abrupt as you can. Some taper here, as shown in the drawing, is inevitable and contributes to the strength of the drill bit. Keep grinding until the diameter matches the root of the screw. If you hold a screw directly behind the spinning drill bit you should be able to see the threads sticking out on either side. (As you make this observation, look through one eye only.) When the shaping is to your satisfaction, position a Fuller countersink on the drill bit and lock it firmly in place. (Stock numbers for the three sizes of countersinks we use are: C6, C8, and CI02.) We have the bit protrude from the countersink the same distance as the screw’s length measured from the underside of its head to its tip.

AWLS

The awl has historically been used to create starter holes in wood for brads and nails, and to create starting points for drill bits. The most common type of awl is the scratch awl. The size and length of the awl can vary greatly, but each has a cylindrical shaft that tapers to a point. Another type of awl that’s very hard to find anymore is a brad awl. The tip of this awl comes to a chisel point, much like screwdriver. A brad awl was used in the past to create starter holes in tougher hardwoods, where the grain would often deflect a scratch awl. The chisel point of the brad awl was aligned with the grain at the mark, then pushed in and twisted to cut a small hole. These have been superseded by the center punch.

Do you looking for great boat plans package?

Here is the best My Boat Plans Review: How to build your own boat

My Boat Plans – build boat in some easy steps

Marking hole locations

In my shop, I frequently use an awl as a center-punch to mark hole locations. An awl is especially useful when marking holes using a template. That’s because the thin tapered shank can pass through the holes in a template, where the blunt tip of a center-punch can’t get through.

Basic grip

To use an awl as a center-punch or to create starter holes for nails or brads, nestle the handle of the awl in the palm of your hand as shown in the bottom photo, and then wrap your fingers around the handle. This grip positions the awl in line with your forearm so you’ll transfer maximum thrust into the work-piece.

Plans4Boats: How to build wooden boat

Wobble if necessary

If you do use an awl in place of a center punch, you may or may not want to wobble the awl —i t all depends on the drill bit you’re using. If it’s a brad-point bit, or a Forstner bit, a single thrust into the wood will do. However, when using a twist bit, I’ve found that if I enlarge the hole by wobbling the awl, the tip of the bit will have less tendency to wander.

As a holder

But an awl can be used for much more than marking starter holes. It’s also useful as a holder or a “third hand,” and as a marking tool. I often use an awl as an all-purpose holder to temporarily fasten thin materials together, or as the pivot point when scribing a long, graceful arc with a thin strip of wood and a penci. An awl is equally effective as a “third hand” when you’re working by yourself with long boards or with anything greater than your arm span: Just secure the end of a tape measure or chalk line to a work-piece with an awl, and then stretch it to the opposite end to measure or snap a line.

Marking

I’ve known quite a few woodworkers who prefer a sharp awl to a pencil. The thin, tapered blades of awls make them particularly useful for reaching into tight quarters, such as when marking pins for dovetails. You can use one in lieu of a marking knife; just make sure to keep the point razor-sharp, as it will tend to tear wood fibers instead of cutting them like a knife.

MEASURING TOOLS: LEVELS

While many woodworkers think of a level as a carpenter’s tool, it has a place in every shop. A LEVEL particularly a torpedo level is handy for checking that shelves are LEVEL cabinets are hung plumb, and workbenches and tools are level.

How to start your own home based woodworking business?

Home based woodworking business

Wood Profits: The best woodworking business ideas

Types of levels

The most common levels are 3 or 4 feet in length, with bodies made of wood, metal, or plastic. Virtually every level has multiple vials, which are curved glass or plastic tubes filled with alcohol (hence the name “spirit” level). A bubble of air trapped in the vial will always float to the highest point on the curve. Marks on each side of the center-point indicate level or plumb. While steel I-beam-style levels are accurate and lightweight, I still prefer the warmth of the older wood and brass levels of yesteryear.

Checking a level

Can a level go out of whack? You bet. Here’s how to check to make sure your level is on the level. Place the level on a known-flat surface and mark its exact location with a pencil. Note the bubble reading on the vials with a pencil mark as well, and then flip the level end for end, aligning it with the pencil marks. Check the bubbles and then repeat by flipping the level upside down. All of the bubble readings should match. If they don’t, most levels have adjustable vials to make this correction. Loosen the screws, adjust the vial positions, and repeat until all readings are the same.

MORTISE CHISELS

Mortise chisels are distinguished by their thick, beefy blades and stout handles, both designed to handle the heavy mallet blows associated with chopping mortises by hand. But the blades are thicker for another, less obvious reason: The wide blade helps guide the chisel absorber.

On socket-style mortise chisels, a tenon is turned on the end of the handle to fit into the socket on the end of the blade. The disadvantage of a tang-style mortise chisel is that repeated blows will tend to drive the tang deeper into the handle. Even with ferrules installed at both ends of the handle, the tang will eventually make the handle split. This rarely happens with a socket-style chisel and keep it square to the sides of the mortise it’s being cut. This is a big plus, because it makes the chisel almost self-guiding once the sides and ends of the mortise are established. It’s another key reason why this is absolutely the tool of choice for cutting mortises by hand.

Do you looking for the best woodworking plans package?

http://impartialreviews.org/woodworking4home/

Woodworking 4 Home: one of the best woodworking plans package

Handle options

There are two basic handle options available for mortise chisels: tang-mount and socket-mount. With a tang-mount, the tang on the end of the blade fits into a hole drilled into the end of the handle. Generally a leather washer is added between the base of the blade and the handle to serve as a shock.

The first time I chopped a mortise by hand, it was a disaster. I used a small, bevel-edged chisel that was relatively dull (I hadn’t quite figured out sharpening yet). After half an hour of pounding on that poor board, I had a lopsided hole that looked more like a crater than a mortise. The width varied, the sides were rough, and the bottom was a jumble of torn slivers of wood. I had made three mistakes: I was using an improperly sharpened tool, I was using the wrong tool (I should have used a stout mortise chisel), and I was using the wrong technique.

Decades later, I find chopping a mortise by hand a pleasure — really. Sure, it’s a bit physical, but it’s very rewarding. I often will hand-chop a mortise if I’ve got only a few to make. It’s actually quicker than going through the whole machine setup and test-cut business.

Mortise chisel technique:

Define the ends and remove waste

After you’ve laid out the mortise and clamped the workpiece firmly to your bench (preferably over a leg), start by defining the ends. Position the mortise chisel (the same width as the mortise) so that the flat is toward the end of the mortise about 1/8″ from the layout line (I’ll explain why later). Then drive the chisel vertically into the mortise about 1/4″ with a mallet. Next, tip the chisel over so the bevel is down, and remove a chip. Once you’ve reached the desired depth of the mortise, start working across, cleaning out the waste at the bottom. Hold the chisel vertically and take light, paring cuts.

Continue removing waste from the bottom, working your way toward the opposite end of the mortise. Take light cuts and pry out the waste with the chisel.

Finish cuts

Once the full width of the mortise is complete, you can make your finish cuts to the ends. By now you’ve probably figured why it’s important to leave1/8″ or so on the ends of the mortises while you chop out the majority of the waste. Even when you’re careful prying out the waste, there’s a tendency to use the top edge of the mortise as a fulcrum for the blade. The result is that this edge gets crushed. If the mortises are stopped, the tenon will cover this, but the joint won’t be as sturdy as it could be. But if the mortise is a through mortise, this will be highly visible. Leaving a bit of waste to be trimmed away as a final step yields clean, crisp edges.

WOOD AND TRANSITIONAL PLANES

Before metal-bodied planes became the norm, wood and wood/metal hybrids known as “transitional” planes were the standard. Although you can still find some modern wood planes, most wood and transitional planes are antiques, gathering dust on shelves. That’s too bad, because there are plenty of shavings left in these classic tools.

Do you looking for woodworking plans?

COMPLETE IDEA WOODWORKING PLANS REVIEW

Complete woodworking plans: the best woodworking plans package

Wood-body planes

The advantage a wood-bodied plane offers over a metal plane is more aesthetic than technical. Some woodworkers appreciate the warmth and natural feel that a wood sole offers. And it seems less harsh to the work-piece. The downside to a wood sole is that wood moves. Wood-bodied planes need continuous attention to ensure the sole is flat; fortunately, it’s a lot easier to true up then a metal sole. Additionally, adjusting the blade is cumbersome.

Transitional planes

Transitional planes were designed to bridge the gap between wood-bodied and metal planes. They combined a wood sole with the convenient blade adjustments of a metal plane. I tuned up my great-grandfather’s old Stanley No. 132 jointer plane years ago. Although it’s a bit finicky, I use it all the time.

Blade adjustment

The big difference between a wood plane and a transitional plane is how the blade is adjusted. On a wood plane, the blade is held in place with a wedge. Tapping the heel or toe of the plane raises or lowers the blade, respectively. With transitional planes, the blade rests on a metal frog and is adjusted up and down by a knob or lever.

Carving Tools

The first time I seriously began shopping for carving tools, I couldn’t help snickering at some of the names: Fluteroni, spoon bit, allongee fishtail? Silly though they may sound, these names have special meaning to carvers, and often aptly describe the business end of the tool. Carving tools can be broadly categorized into three main groups: gouges, chisels, and specialty tools. Each tool is designed to handle a specific task; serious carvers can have dozens of carving tools, ranging from delicate 4″- long detail chisels to huge gouges for roughing-out work.

Do you need for woodworking plans?

Read My Shed Plans Review here

My shed plans – the best shed plans package

Standard sizes

Unlike most woodworking tools, carving tools have long been available in standard sizes. If one carver tells another that he used a No. 8 gouge, the other will know exactly which tool he used. Surprisingly, most toolmakers follow these standards. Not all do, however, so stick with a reputable brand when you buy.

Gouges

A carving gouge is basically a chisel that’s curved across the width of the blade. Of all the carving tools, you’ll find that gouges have the widest array of curves, sizes, and special features (such as a bent neck). In general, gouges may be one of two types: in-cannel or out-cannel. With an in-cannel gouge, the bevel is ground on the inside of the blade; an out-cannel gouge has its bevel ground on the outside. Out-cannel gouges are by far the more popular.

Chisels

Although some carving chisels often look similar to standard firmer chisels, there’s one big difference: Instead of the bevel being ground on one side, the bevel on a carving chisel is ground on both sides so it’ll meet in the center. Unlike the concave (hollow) grind of most chisels, a carving chisel generally has a convex grind. This helps prevent the edge from digging in too deep in use. Carving chisels may have either a square edge or a skewed edge

Specialty tools

In addition to gouges and chisels, the carver typically has a number of other specialty tools in his arsenal. Parting tools and veiners are the standbys. The most commonly used parting tool is the V-shaped version used for cutting grooves in wood and making square-cornered cuts. The V-parting tool is widely used for incising letters in signs. Veiners can have square or rounded edges and are used mainly to add decorative grooves or “veins” in carvings.

Gouge Sharpening

Gouge Sharpening: 4 easy steps

1. Saturate an oilstone, then set the outside bevel of the gouge flat on the stone. Starting at one end, move the blade back and forth along the stone with a rhythmic motion, simultaneously rolling the tool so the entire bevel contacts the sharpening surface.

Avoid rocking the blade too far, as this will tend to round over its corners and blunt the cutting edge. Continue until the bevel is smooth and a burr forms on the inside edge of the blade. The same technique is used to sharpen a front-bent, or spoon gouge, but you will need to hold the tool at a much higher angle to keep the bevel flat on the stone.

Looking for great woodworking plans package?

click here to learn more

Teds Woodworking Plans Package: Save thousands of dollars by easily making your own hidh end wood furniture and other home projects!

2. Once you have sharpeneda gouge blade’s outside bevel, use a conical slip- stone to hone a slight inside bevel on the blade and remove the burr formed in step 1. Put a few drops of oil on the cutting edge of the gouge, then move the blade away from you across the stone. To avoid dulling the outside edges of the blade and bringing the cutting edge close to your fingers—the blade should only con­tact the narrow portion of the stone. Continue until the burr is removed and an inside bevel of 5° to 10c forms.

3. Use a fine slipstone to refine the gouge’s outside bevel and remove any burr that may have formed during sharpening. Apply a few drops of oil to the cutting edge, then hold the slipstone in one hand and set the bevel flat on its surface. Draw the tool from side to side along the stone, rotating the blade to hone the bevel. To protect your hand, work only in the middle portion of the stone. Continue honing until the burr is worn away.

4. Use a folded piece of leather to strop the inside bevel of the gouge. Spread some polishing compound on the leather and fold it so its edge matches the inside curve of the gouge.

Draw the blade along the leather repeatedly to polish the inside bevel. You can also do the polishing using a shaped wood scrap.

Self-made bending table

The considerable force required to bend pieces of steamed wood more than 3/4-inch thick calls for a stronger and more adaptable clamping arrangement than a simple benchtop form and tension strap. The shop-made bending table made generally of four sheets of plywood laminated together, and features a grid of holes that can accommodate a variety of custom-made bending forms.

The forms, as well as any end stops or wedges that are needed, are held in place by locating pins bolted through the form and table. Cut from the same type of iron pipe used to make pipe clamps, the pins are designed to withstand the immense shear forces of the bending process.

Home Woodworking Business:

Wood Profits Reviews Here-how to start woodworking business

Wood Profits: Learn how to start your own home based business

To make the table, start with the top, cutting four sheets of 3/4-inch plywood to the desired size and gluing them together. Then drill a grid of inch holes at 4-inch intervals through the top. Use the same bit to drill holes through any forms you will be using, ensuring that their spacing matches that of the holes in the tabletop. Complete the table by attaching legs to the top.

To make the locating pins, cut short lengths of 1/2-inch-inside-diameter iron pipe, and weld large washers to the top of each to facilitate easy insertion and removal. The pins should be as long as the combined thicknesses of the form and tabletop. Make a tension strap slightly wider than the thickness of the workpiece and attach end stops to the strap with hex bolts and washers; the distance between the stops should be the same as the length of the workpiece.

To use the bending table, position the form on the top, aligning its holes with those in the table. Slip a locating pin into each hole in the form and the corresponding hole in the table, securing the form in place. Bend the workpiece as you would on a benchtop form. When bending thick pieces of wood, it is helpful to reinforce the tension straps by bolting hardwood blocks to the outside of the strap. These pieces help prevent the wood from twisting out of plane as it is bent.