Take time choosing home workshop tools
Deciding on the right equipment depends on the type of work you’re planning to do
Q What one piece of equipment would you recommend for a workshop other than a power drill, sander and jigsaw? How about a second choice?
A The answer to your question depends on the kind of work you have in mind for yourself.
If you’ll be working mostly with wood (and especially plywood or other sheet materials), then I’d recommend a tablesaw as a No. 1 choice. Stationary cabinetmaker tablesaws are great, but portable benchtop tablesaws work very well and allow you to move the tool out of the shop if needed.
Alternatively, a chopsaw is also a very handy tool, especially if you’ll be working with lots of solid wood. If solid wood is something you use all the time for fine woodworking and furniture building, then you’ll also appreciate a jointer. This underappreciated power tool will boost the precision and accuracy of your work with solid wood.
Here’s something else to keep in mind: the best guidance on the kind of tools you should buy comes from the struggles you face.
As you’re building up your workshop, don’t be too quick to go out and buy tools. Struggle for a while and let real needs tell you what you really require.
BOLTING DECK TO A HOUSE WALL
Q Should I remove a strip of bevelled cedar siding before I bolt a deck ledger board to my house? A contractor working with a neighbour has the ledger board bolted right through the siding, with wooden wedges behind to create an air space.
A The ledger board is that part of a deck floor frame that bolts to the wall of a house, and there are a couple of ways you can handle your deck design.
First, you could remove the bottom plank of siding and bolt the ledger board to the wall as you imagined. This would be nice and strong if done correctly, but it would also require flashing to be installed to waterproof the situation and prevent water from getting onto your house frame and causing rot.
Aluminum decays quickly in contact with pressure-treated lumber, so you should use copper flashing bent to go up the house wall and down over the ledger board.
The air space option as used by your neighbour’s carpenter is necessary if water will be allowed to sneak behind the ledger board, installed without flashing.
Wood rots much more quickly if moisture gets trapped behind it. The air space allows rapid drying.
Also, you should make provisions for waterproofing all penetrations of the bevel siding where mounting bolts go through.
CLEANING MOULDY FURNITURE
Q Is there any way I can salvage an oil-finished pine dresser that got mouldy during storage in an unheated building? Mould is visible on the surface with an accompanying smell. Short of striking a match, any suggestions on how to restore?
A You’ve got a disappointing situation, but there’s a good chance you can fix things well.
Start by bringing the dresser outside on a nice day, then brush off all the mould.
Wear a mask while you do this. Then treat the surface to kill the mould with a registered fungicide. Concrobium Mold Control is a non-bleach option that works particularly well on wood.
Follow this with an oxygen-based treatment to remove the old mould stains. Duo Blast is the best product I’ve seen for mould stain removal. The nice thing about an oil finish is that it can be renewed as a final step. Sand the surface lightly, then brush on some teak oil or Danish oil, let it soak in for 15 minutes, then wipe off the excess.
Let the surface dry for a couple of days and repeat the oiling and wiping.
Your dresser should look great. Steve Maxwell always prefers to fix things rather than replace them. Learn more about developing your own hands-on how-to lifestyle at BaileyLineRoad.com.