I am useless. Had enough.

[Bones]

What is wrong with me?

I hold down a good well paid job, have healthy well behaved kids, I am reasonably well read and consider myself of adequate intelligence..... SO WHY CAN'T I FREAKEN MAKE A FREAKEN CONTROL PANEL BOX?

Sorry for shouting.

About 3 years ago I made this (pic). It's not perfect but it's still standing and it was a big job. OK, I had the help of a mate but I did a LOT. So why is it when some 45 degree angles and different wood is used my moron qualities not only rise to the surface but overtake the rest of my brain.

I have pissed away now $200 on a circular saw, $150 for a decent jigsaw and $130 worth of wood and all I have is landfill.

I suck. I suck big hairy donkeys balls. 

[DrewKaree]

I think it has something to do with your webbed hands and feet.

If you want, I'll pay the shipping and you can send those worthless saws to me, and I'll find them a good home with lots of land where they can run and frolic and whatnot.

At least you have some pieces you can take a sledgehammer to when you finally get it right.  That prospect alone outta cheer you right up!

[markrvp]

You're full of S#!T.

[DarkKobold]

Didn't your hands get f-'ed up in an accident BB? Isn't that why you are called Broken Bones? How is that going? I'd be surprised if you could still work with wood, after what happened to you, IIRC.

[Tailgunner]

By 45 degree cuts I'm guessing you mean rotating the circular saw on it's base and cutting miters with it. That's quite difficult to do when you've got a lot of experience, let alone for your second project. What specifically is causing your problem? Post some pics of what went wrong, everyone who's gotten good at carpentry did so by screwing up so we've all been there.

[markrvp]

Post some pics of what went wrong

Posted by markrvp on behalf of BB.

[Tailgunner]

Do you have some form of square?  (Framing square, combination square, ect.) If so clamp it to the piece and use it as a cutting guide. Another suggestion, leave the replacement piece long till you get an accurate miter cut. It'll always be easier to cut an accurate 90, so cut your miter first and then cut the piece to proper length.

[Jabba]

Cutting a new replacement and keeping if longer is a good suggtestion if you're really bent on getting a perfect miter joint.

I'd Try sanding the part in the picture on the bottom a little (where the joint is perfect), sand, check, sand check.....keep doing this until the pieces come better aligned.  This should get is closer.

Wood putty is a captenters best bud. A little smeard in there and sanded, then painted and no one but you will know it wasn't PERFECT!

Other than that, looks pretty sweet. I love your CPO as well as what I saw in the Project Announcement thread.....

[GameOver]

Don't give up!

[shmokes]

Man....don't feel bad.  I've had plenty of 45 degree angles cut with a compound miter saw not match up.  Angles are tough.  My take is that you do all the tricks and use all the squares and so on to get it as close as you can.  From there it's sandpaper and wood putty to perfection.

[tommy]

I have to agree cut/try to cut your angel first and if you mess up cut that angel off and try again, dont make your final cut till the angel is right. You should have many chances to get it right till you run out of length on that panel.

[danny_galaga]

plastibond is your friend (",)

[Bones]

Didn't your hands get f-'ed up in an accident BB? Isn't that why you are called Broken Bones? How is that going? I'd be surprised if you could still work with wood, after what happened to you, IIRC.

The hands are OK! I broke both wrists, destroyed a handful (pun intended) of bones in my right hand plus broke my right arm. Had enough operations to sort out most of my problems (only 1 more to go!). It took me 12 months to learn how to close and use my right hand again but all said and done, I am doing pretty bloody well.

Using power tools is

[DrewKaree]

The hands are OK!

It's the REST of him that's really all effed up....especially the semi-useless lump above the shoulders

I have been left as weak as a kitten and some pain still persists but the good news is I can still wank as fiercely as a schoolboy ogling a bra catalogue and I don

[Bones]

Drew................ Ummmmm, enough said.       



Last night I brought this. http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,35285.msg318943.html#msg318943

I just turned it on (to check it actually worked), and it scared the bejeeezus out of me. I wonder if the store will supply me a credit because it's scary sounding?

Looking forward to giving it a whirl on the weekend and getting these cuts right.

[Jabba]

Hey Bones, That looks pretty sweet....Post some pictures of the finished product when you're done. I have a regular mitre saw, but not the sliding kind. My saw can only cut a total of 6 inches on a 45 horizontal degree cut. I'd be interested in knowing what you thought of it and how big of a board it can cut...

[ChadTower]

I feel the same way about soldering.  Useless, can't do it right.