lumber

Springtime Ritual #1 – Upstream Edition, Part I

Not only was the severity of the winter weather manifest in the damage to the pipeline and master valve, the existing intake setup (pictured above) at the top of the system was thrashed.  The Rubbermaid tub was several yards downstream from the weir (dam) and the copper chute was missing altogether.  I cobbled the system back together to give myself a few days to make a new capturing basin.  The time had come to construct the collector box I have vowed to make ever since installing the system.

Using some of my prized c.1840 11/4 bald cypress lumber I made the box I have always wanted.  The first step was resawing the 11/4 stock into three equal boards roughly 4-feet long and eight inches wide for the long sides and a foot long for the ends, and the requisite number of cross-boards for the bottom.  I started the process by cutting the initial kerfs on the table saw, then finishing the task by hand (the lumber was too wide for my upstairs band saw.  I could’ve used the resaw bandsaw in the basement but would have had to move a whole lot of stuff to excavate it.)  Sorry, no pics for this process.

The boards were foreplaned as the finished surface.  Incidentally, even though the wood is 180+ years old it is still tacky on the inside when re-sawn and planed, and cypress’ typical smell of patchouli oil fills the air!  BTW I hate square-post-through-the-bench-top planing stops a la Roubo and always have.  I much prefer the right-angle stop in the leg vise as shown here.  It’s just how I roll, or rile, or whatever.

With the lumber prepped I set to cutting the dovetails in the corners.  As is my custom I cut the tails on both pieces at the same time.  Normally I nail the two boards together but this time I decided to tape them.

Another of my multitude of peculiarities is a dislike of sawing out the dovetail waste.  I just incise the shoulder, pare out a bit, then go back and wail on the waste.  In a minute or two they are done.  I cut the pins basically the same way.

The dovetailed corners were screwed together with decking crews (pre-drilled and countersunk) since adhesive was not likely to perform permanently under water.  With the screws and the swelling from the moisture I expect these joints to remain tight until forever.  Even so, before installation I slathered the corners inside and out with tar, just to make sure.

Stay tuned