Screen Printing Fail!

Sometimes you swing and miss!

As with many of my projects, this week I attempted something I have never done before.  Screen Printing.  Now I have been wanting to try this for a couple years now.  A while back I purchased a starter kit to do a DIY screen print.  Included in that kit were all the chemicals, inks, and a screen that are needed.  Now I know you are supposed to use a photo sensitive emulsion for your screen.  However, I had also seen that for a small quantity of prints, some have used cut vinyl. Essentially a sticker.  Now since I have a vinyl cutter I figured I would give this method a try.  I had figured maybe some aspect of this wouldn’t go quiet as planned.  But, I had watched several videos, and read all I could find on how to properly do this.  So I felt fairly confident I could pull it off as a successful first attempt.  I was wrong.  You see, since I was printing a light, fluorescent orange ink on a dark shirt, I knew it would need multiple coats to get good coverage and a solid bright color on the dark shirt.  One critical aspect of resetting your screen in exactly the same spot proved impossible. Everything else worked as planned. But I had shadow images because I was not able to set the screen in exactly the same spot for the multiple layers. That said, I failed at my first attempt of making my first screen printed t shirt.  While from a distance it turned out ok, within 5’ you can clearly see the defect. It actually hurts your eyes as it is blurry because of the shadow image.  So, I learned a valuable lesson for my next attempt.  Make sure the screen gets put down in the exact same spot for each coat of ink. To resolve this I have purchased a screen printing press.  I will for sure be using this for my second attempt.  Hopefully with better results.  I understand this process requires some practice to perfect and I’m ok with that.  I will also follow the advise of others and print a coat of white before the fluorescent top color.  This is supposed to make your top color much brighter and more vivid.  Of course, this also will require that the project be a two color print, so I will need to use my press for sure.  Thankfully I purchased one that is set up with multiple screens for two color applications.  

Here’s to better luck and execution next time!  Check back to see how my second attempt goes sometime in the near future.  

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Barn Wood – Photo Web

Another week another project.  This week I cross off a project off my list that has been on the list for a long time, over a year actually.  A reclaimed wood photo web. I acquired a pile of barn wood from barn doors and some old cedar fence boards to use for this and a few other projects. As with any project I made a plan of how I wanted to make this thing.  Well it’s a simple project and I had a simple plan.  As often is the case, even the best plans need a backup plan.  I had intended to just keep it simple and not measure, and not use my drill or any other special tools other than the power saws, since I really didn’t think they were necessary.  I was wrong.  You can’t tell in the video since it was time lapse but I really struggled with the first handful of eyelets.  My fingers hurt since it was surprisingly difficult to turn them in the wood and this is a soft cedar wood that I figured would be very easy to screw these in.  Maybe it was cause they were so small…. I don’t know. 

Good luck on your projects this week.  Come back next week and see what were up to!

Professional Quality Paint – Secrets Revealed

Our topic today, is a sort of swear word for many people. “PAINTING”! its really not that bad, I promise. I will admit that painting in the interior of your home is not for everyone. We have all walked into a home that has paint on the trim, or maybe a little on the ceiling. while many people may not even notice these small mistakes they are the difference between a good paint job and a bad paint job. In this weeks video, I show you how I paint kitchen, using NO masking tape. well, i have to admit there was one spot on this paint job that I did use some masking tape… there is a small piece of wall between the window and the countertop, behind the faucet, that was a impossible to paint without masking.

Ceiling Drywall-On your Own

We’re back! While on vacation, I managed to get this video edited and ready for release!  With that, this weeks project is outside the shop.  Today, we’re patching ceiling drywall.  In this case there was a water leak from above and it damaged the ceiling and the flooring.  Water leaks can cause tons of damage and this is a perfect example of that. if you’ve ever dealt with drywall, or any building materials you have an idea how cumbersome a full size sheet can be. if you haven’t, well its like trying to hold your kitchen table up to the ceiling while trying to permanently secure it. it is possible to do by yourself, with some ingenuity, but even then it is still very frustrating and risky. today, we use a drywall lift to make the job go so so so much easier. We are starting with the ceiling and will also be doing paint and flooring to put this room back to its former glory.  The methods used here apply to a larger patch like this or even a whole ceiling and even a very small patch job.  If your in need of a drywall lift for your project, ive included a link to the one I have and it’s a great price and free shipping (at the time of this posting).  Side note, I am not sponsored by any manufacturers or retailers, however,  if you purchase this one through our link, your supporting our Blog and Channel as well. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing our post from this week, come back next week to see what we’ve been up to!

New Mitre Saw – Review, Fine Tuning, and Set Up

Today, we review a budget friendly Hitachi 10″ Mitre saw and show you how to set it up and fine tune it for perfect cuts every time!

One of the most important things you can have in a woodworking shop is a correctly set up Mitre saw. I show you how to make sure your saw is performing its best so your projects come out as intended. This is a critical step in making your projects come out as planned with clean precise repeatable cuts. This is a budget friendly saw coming in under $100!

First of all, I would like to say, i am not sponsored by any manufacturer and purchased this saw with my own money with the sole purpose of personal use and testing to inform you folks of my findings.
I needed a new shop saw, and while I have my eye on a couple 12″ saws, i figured Id pick up a budget friendly version and review it for those of you who may want an affordable saw for your shop and projects. Below is a link to the saw i reviewed if you’d like to purchase one for yourself.

Help Support our channel, If you choose to purchase, i make a small amount on the sale if you purchase through this link. Thank you!

Hitachi C10FCG 10″ Mitre Saw https://amzn.to/2Gywxdi

Scrap Lumber Storage – French Cleat Style


Welcome back! The Journey continues to a more organized and efficient work space.  This week we show how I built some support shelving that I will use for storing scrap wood.  However, you could use this method to make a wider shelf to support anything of moderate weight you need to store in your shop like a stereo or maybe a tool box.  Just remember that your French cleat system is only as strong as its wall fasteners so make sure that your wall fasteners are long enough and are actually into the studs.  I have to admit, I made a couple mistakes off camera while completing this project but made corrections and kept moving foreword.  One of those was more of a bonehead attempt at loading wood on the top shelf… I ended up catching a piece of falling wood with my nose like I was in Yankee stadium receiving the first pitch. No major scaring resulted and all that remains is the story to tell.  As always, I have included links to tools I used that you may want to try yourself.  You can support our channel by purchasing your tools from those links as we do make a small amount off of each sale.  

More Shop Clean Up and Organization

Good luck on your projects this week as we head out for vacation.  Come back next week and see what our next project is!

TOOLS I USED: 

  1. Hitachi WH18DGL 18-Volt 1/4-Inch Cordless Lithium Ion Impact https://amzn.to/2EamIkf
  2. OR BUY THE KIT LIKE I DID, WITH THE DRILL AND DRIVER Jhttps://amzn.to/2GIRMth
  3. 4Pcs Countersink Drill Bits https://amzn.to/2TQqLYm
  4. Bob Smith Industries BSI-157H Maxi Cure/Insta-Set https://amzn.to/2GJbe92

Wall Framing 101

Welcome back! This weeks project is interior wall framing. In this case it is a basement finish project. however, the same could be applied to any non load bearing partition walls. I purposely only used the minimum tools required to show that this type of project does not require many tools, and off those, many are relatively inexpensive with the exception of the framing nailer, which could be rented from your local equipment rental store.

TOOLS I USED:

Stanley Anti Vibe Hammer https://amzn.to/2Ghrpdu

PORTER-CABLE PCE300 15 Amp Heavy Duty Steel Shoe Circular Saw https://amzn.to/2D5tq9q

Paslode 905600 Cordless XP Framing Nailer https://amzn.to/2TrGdtY

Paslode 650535 3-1/4-Inch by .131 Smooth 1M Fuel and Nail Pack https://amzn.to/2CXwaFK

Stanley 42-074 24 Inch Top-Read Level https://amzn.to/2GhnRIe

DuoFast 100 Count 2.5″ Single Shot Concrete Nail for Concrete https://amzn.to/2WtHjHo

Duo-Fast Trigger Drive Pro .22 cal Powder Actuated Tool https://amzn.to/2GgkTUp

Stanley 30’ Tape Measure https://amzn.to/2t2utm2

“A” Frame Step Stool

Welcome to this weeks project, a super simple yet functional step stool! Not only is it functional it is also stylish!

This is a very easy project that almost anyone could build in a couple hours. its a great weekend project and you could even get the kids to help too. The material list is very short for this project and the cost is only about $5. Not a bad way to get the family involved in a great project that will provide a functional use for years and years to come!

Farm Style End Table #4

Today In The Shop, we build this beautiful

Today In The Shop, we are building this beautiful and simple Farm Style End Table. 

You will only need a few 2×4’s and 1×6’s and a small scrap of plywood to complete this build.  

See Material list and cut list here (CLICK HERE)

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