July 2017 Contest:

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Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
No outcome to post yet for the May contest! We have a tie as of this date/time.

For the July contest, post pictures of your worst woodworking mistake! DO NOT....please do not post any injuries. They may be your worst....mistake....but what we want to see is your worst WOODWORKING mistake! Did you put the mortises in the wrong side or you table leg? Did you drill a hole right through that beautiful table top? Come on people, we're net going to embarrass anyone, we'd just like to see that besides ourselves, everyone is human and sometimes we all make a mistake no matter how many times we measure before making the cut!
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
I need to find that piece of wood where all the dovetail tabs marked with an X are still there and the intervening tabs cut out. Need to take a picture of that.
 

Lowlander

New User
Chris
647096223113lg.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=83486
:D
 

mbromley

New User
Bromley
I'll bite. Just recently I built some night stands really quickly (still need to build the drawers) because the inlaws were coming to visit. I had everything marked and even still when I did the glue up I put the bottom rail on inside out so the slot for the shelf brackets faces outwards now.

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Updated pictures
 

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nn4jw

New User
Jim
My mistakes usually either become "design changes", "features" or scrap and don't get their pictures taken. Then there's the unfortunate mistake I made just yesterday.

The past couple of years I haven't been able tp spend a lot of time in the shop because of my wife's health issues, which seem to be under control now. So, I didn't take care of some things in the shop, like bringing glues and paints up to the house to avoid freezing over the winter. I'm in the middle of making a stand for 5 gallon water jugs and needed to glue up mitered corners on the top that will have a 12 inch tile inlay.

When I grabbed the bottle of Tite Bond III it was all separated and watery. I should have just tossed it, but I didn't feel like going out to buy more at the time. I shook it up to mix and used it for the mitered corners. I've given it a good 24 hours to dry, but I don't think the strength is there.

I guess I could post a picture of the frozen/thawed glue in the trash can, but that doesn't seem too exciting.

Remains to be seen if the glue joints will survive, if I try to reglue, or just start over on the top.

I have bought fresh glues and tossed all the old glues.
 

tri4sale

Daniel
Corporate Member
I've made many mistakes. Many. But few I have photos of, except the Murphy Bed build where the holes were drilled out by the CNC in wrong spot. Didn't discover till assembly and parts didn't go together. Nothing a little wood putty and a drill couldn't fix.

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With the CNC it's easy to make mistakes, the bit slipped and gouged the table about 3/4 inch deep (once again, wood putty to the rescue.) Miscalculated the hold down screw locations and hit with the bit, resulting in sparks, scorch marks, and headed to Kingspur for a new bit (after quick check of DC bin to make sure no sparks got there and started a fire) and Lowe's for more putty :) Running the CNC too fast and snapping the bit in half, on the most expensive bit in my starter kit. Saved that bit to create a plack labeled "Pay Attention and Don't Rush"

Now when you run the "Most Expensive Mistake" I'll divulge the $15,000 mistake I made.
 

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dazart

New User
Steve
Not sure if you call this a mistake, but more 'not thinking'. I got a used workbench from a house a friend just bought. I wanted to add wheels to the bottom so I could move it from the wall to the middle of the garage to work. I added some 2x4's so I could put the 4 casters on and stood it up. That's when I noticed the middle legs. I guess they just don't grow to match the new height. Hopefully I'll fix that this weekend.

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bowman

Board of Directors, Webmaster
Neal
Staff member
Corporate Member
At least you didn't put wheels on one end and the middle...
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I'll bite. Just recently I built some night stands really quickly (still need to build the drawers) because the inlaws were coming to visit. I had everything marked and even still when I did the glue up I put the bottom rail on inside out so the slot for the shelf brackets faces outwards now.

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Attempted from my phone, I'll fix the pictures when I get to a computer

Mobile attachments have been broken for several months here.

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Canuck

Wayne
Corporate Member
Thought I had mastered 1/2 blind dovetailed drawers on a few projects.....

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Until good friend Joe Scharle pointed to the drawers with no half pins in all of my drawer fronts. He looked at it as my trademark.

Joe then made me a wall hanging showing the right way vs the wrong way that to this day hangs above my workbench.​

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Embarrassing errors, but lesson well taught by the master. Doing them closer to right these days.

Wayne​


 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
In the early 1970s I did a writing desk for my wife. I had three perfect pieces of stock for the legs. I had to glue up the last leg and the glue-up came out really mismatched I figured that one would go to the back. Long story short, I ended up making two left hand sides so the ugly leg stuck out in the front. Nothing could be done at that point so I let it eat. Here it is, forty some odd years later and I'm just beginning to get used to is. Haven't made that mistake since. I've come close a few times, but this early screwup drove home a painful lesson to the ego.

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An old shot of the desk, but the mismatched glue-up on the right leg can be clearly seen.
 

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Dee2

Board of Directors, Vice President
Gene
Staff member
Corporate Member
Sometimes you just enjoy making chips and then you just run out of wall....

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Dreuxgrad

Ed
Senior User
Years ago TWA had Frank Klaus in for a demo and workshop. I, being a rank novice on hand cut dove tails, attended
both. Here is the photographic record of our effort. His, to teach, and mine to learn. After suffering his tirade the second
effort came out well enough for him to accept the offer to sign the memento.
PS- I got a P/C jig and router to accomplish the many drawers for last years project( which actually got done).
Ed
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Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
Years ago TWA had Frank Klaus in for a demo and workshop. I, being a rank novice on hand cut dove tails, attended
both. Here is the photographic record of our effort. His, to teach, and mine to learn. After suffering his tirade the second
effort came out well enough for him to accept the offer to sign the memento.
PS- I got a P/C jig and router to accomplish the many drawers for last years project( which actually got done).
Ed
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That has GOT to be an honorable mention to have your mistake signed by a professional!
 
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