Wicks Woodworks

Throwback Thursday to when I made my mobile table saw cart. Here I’m cutting out and putting in the plywood shelves for the table saw to rest on and the built in outfeed table. Had to notch out where the 2x4’s were to maximize my shelf space. This little shop furniture project has saved me a ton of space as it fits right beneath my miter saw station on the right hand side. Even though the casters completely kicked my ass, the other measurements worked out great.... for once.....😳! . . . . . #shopproject #tablesaw #mobilecart #2x4 (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXrTkUjukr/?igshid=id3jg7q7phb1

~SOUND ON~ While woodworking is fun workshop life can still have its ups and down. If my little shop helpers are with me it always makes it more enjoyable. I hope to pass on my love for hobby woodworking to one or both of my kids one day. This song kind of sums it all up! Thanks Brittany! 😳 . . . . . #woodworkingisfun #workshoplife #shophelper #hobbywoodworking (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGLCmoKD86Z/?igshid=6djjdbzy5fzn

My dad was in town helping me on a diy build this past weekend. Throwing it back here to the last time he was in town to help me with my miter saw station. Before this I was using a cheap Harbor freight bench so this shop upgrade for my garage shop was badly needed. Made the entire workbench out of 2x4’s and made two identical ones that I then put a platform in between to rest the miter saw on. Used maple plywood for the top as I wanted it to look a little nicer. Since then I’ve put in a t-track and stop block system and made a mobile cart for my table saw that fits underneath the right side. Still need to make a dust hood but have been procrastinating on that for quite some time. I’m 10 times the procrastinator than I’ll ever be at woodworking! 😳 . . . . . #mitersawstation #shopupgrade #garageshop #workbench (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFzkmoDOaq/?igshid=afe73h2k8ti2

Made a little outdoor furniture this past weekend with my dad and my son. It’s a u shaped redwood outdoor bench that will wrap around an area where our wall juts out. I secretly love making diy furniture and specifically benches but there is only so many that one can have. This is just the process video for the bench base itself which is actually 4 separate smaller benches that I then joined together. Everything fit together nicely with the exception of one area but was able to work through it. 😬 It was really nice having my dad in town helping and of course my son. Three generations building together was really fun! Thanks again to my Pops and my son “the pocket hole kid”! . . . . . #outdoorfurniture #diyfurniture #redwoodfurniture #outdoorbench (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGAhcNTD0YF/?igshid=jwfqwdcz79ek

~SOUND ON~ Work shop life can be very lonely at times in my garage shop. My little shop helper wasn’t around this day to help me with this little scrap wood project and I just kept getting that unmistakeable feeling that I was being watched. 👀 Turns out my suspicions were true! . . . . . #workshoplife #garageshop #shophelper #scrapwoodproject (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF5Z4qnjoY_/?igshid=b7side8vvrg3

I posted yesterday about replacing the casters on my table saw cart. Here’s a throwback Thursday to the original diy fail video from several months back where it took me several attempts to get the cart to fit. My ultimate problem was that I thought I had 3” casters but they were actually 4” which left the cart 1/2” tall or so. I decided to get some shorter casters which made the mobile cart fit fine but when the table saw was on it was still a smidgeon too high. I recessed the casters in the bottom supports but then put the larger ones back on which is the failed third attempt. Put the shorter casters on and it finally fit. Found out later that those casters completely sucked and that is why I fixed it once and for all in yesterday’s video. It’s amazing that the simplest things can just kick your butt sometimes. Woodworking fails are a way of life in my garage wood shop, that is for sure. . . . . . #diyfail #woodworkingfail #garageshop #casters (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFz05UYj9PQ/?igshid=13l04hs6lg0fe

Ever have a shop project (or any diy project for that matter) where you feel like it’s just not meant to be. That’s how I feel on this mobile table saw cart I built a few months back. I tried three different times to get the measurements right for the casters before finally giving in and putting some cheap ones on that fit but never worked at all really. Got tired of them so here I’m putting on my go to locking casters I have on most of my mobile shop carts. Took out even more of the bottom 2x4’s (no doubt ruining the structural integrity) to fit the taller casters. Not filmed was the realization that I was going to have to shim it back up since the locking mechanism was being blocked by the 2x4. In the end, also not filmed, I replaced the plywood on the cart with 1/2” and that solved my issue. Wish I would have done that 4 times ago but live and you learn I guess. 🤷‍♂️ That’s life in the wood shop for you! 😳 My son tried to save the day by feigning his amazement in his dad’s complete cluster of a job on this one. Thanks bud! 👍 . . . . . #mobilecart #shopproject #diyproject #casters (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxQnCujlDr/?igshid=u577eexu0jyv

~SOUND ON~ Sometimes workshop life requires you to go over the tools that are NOT okay to use. Garage shop safety is very important and needs to be reinforced at times (disregard the no shoes here please 😳.) Here I am going over some of those safety tips with my shop helper accompanied by the one and only MC Hammer of course. . . . . . #workshoplife #shopsafety #shophelper #garageshop (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFnG9CdjM8H/?igshid=53377ool2z8i

Throwback Thursday to the DIY dining table I made last year. Got the plans from Ana White and I believe it’s under truss beam table for anyone who may be interested. As a hobbyist I find myself making little scrap wood projects in my garage shop mostly but I equally enjoy these diy furniture builds as well. We subsequently stained this after the fact and of course my son had to give it a strength test. Both passed muster thankfully. My wife told me after the fact that she wants it a few inches wider but so far I’ve been able to stall for almost a year. Shhh! No one tell @sarabethwicks . . . . . #diyfurniture #diytable #diydiningtable #anawhitediy (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhqMYkjru8/?igshid=eg4yl86j2tdx

Another weekend scrap wood project. This time my son gave the assist and we made these little wooden beer caddies. Used some Baltic birch plywood and 1/4” utility plywood for the sides and dividers inside. A 7/8” dowel was used for the handle because it’s what I had on hand. Put chalkboard paint on the sides so one could label it or write something stupid and appropriate (kind of like me) on it. Also plan on putting a bottle opener on it but didn’t have any on hand. This diy craft will accommodate 6 of your favorite beers. Test fitted with Lagunitas and Sierra Nevada bottles. Have to drink quick . No room for ice! 😬Nonetheless it has been dad tested and kid approved. Now to just find out where my 6 year old got a fake ID! 😳 . . . . . #scrapwoodproject #diycraft #beercaddy #plywoodproject (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFVLdc7j3WO/?igshid=1t1f9870ufmsa

This weekend little scrap wood project is this little rustic style liquor dispenser. Made it out of a random log I found at a nearby golf course where they had recently cut down some trees. Definitely wasn’t the best log to use but it was all I had on hand. If I were to make another one I would use a log that was a little longer and much more consistently sized. This was a prototype and a lot of lessons learned on this one. Need to plumb it a little bit better next time (as you can tell by the leakage 😬) but it was still a fun little diy craft project. I poured out a test shot of Jack Daniels but still went with my shop staple - @lagunitasbeer . . . . . #scrapwoodproject #diycraft #liquordispenser #rusticstyle (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFDXodNjQNI/?igshid=5pt5jjutcymd

~SOUND ON~ Didn’t get a ton of shop time this weekend but did manage to do one little scrap wood project. My wife wanted to hang up her ukulele, antique banjo, and mandolin on the wall in our guest room turned music room. Made these very simple little guitar hangers based on the different neck widths of each instrument. I was so excited once they were all up that I just had to riff it up! . . . . . #scrapwoodproject #guitarhanger #musicroom #musicroomdecor (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE4RTJCDUs_/?igshid=1tw2i24qa16hd

My buddy @carlsharamitaro made this 2x4 wooden surfboard rack for a friend of his. The rack turned out great but we needed a way to make sure we could get the dowels uniform and centered consistently. I came up with this very simple woodworking jig so that we could ensure consistency. It’s just a piece of 2x4 that I ripped in half and drilled a 1 1/8” hole through on the drill press to match the dowel’s circumference. On either side I put 1/4” utility ply so I could clamp it to the rack wherever we needed to drill. The jig worked out great surprisingly. My phone falling over however did not....😳....although I’m happy to report the beer was fine! 🍻 @sierranevada . . . . . #woodworkingjigs #surfboardrack #dowels #2x4 (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEmgkEsD_s4/?igshid=4bw7gt2e489p

This weekend shop project was another wooden bike crate for a friend of ours birthday. This time I made it out of redwood fence planks that I planed down to reveal their grain. This one turned out 100 times better than the one I made myself. Changed the dimensions a little too as mine is obnoxiously bulky (kind of like me!). Love making these little rustic style wooden crates. They make for a perfect little scrap wood project! . . . . . #scrapwoodproject #woodencrates #rusticstyle #shopproject (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEfSyuqjFNT/?igshid=1hr55a8yks27w

Here’s a throwback Thursday to when I was trying to be as cool as Mike @coffeycustombuilds and make a zero clearance plate for my miter saw. “Trying” being the operative word. This was a very fun little shop project and has been an excellent addition to my miter saw. Helps keep scraps from getting underneath the saw itself, but what I like the best is how it really facilitates lining up your cuts by moving your line right up to the saw kerf. One small consolation is that you can no longer do bevel cuts but there are ways around that. Can either do them on the table saw or if the piece is small enough turn it up on its side to get the same effect. Word to the wise, don’t be lazy and try to cut through a piano hinge with a wood blade. It may or may not damage this zero clearance plate. Don’t ask me how I know! 😳 . . . . . #zeroclearance #mitersaw #shopproject #mitersawstation (at Long Beach, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEZgTDnDxYF/?igshid=hxpoptmgya9l