The next project that came up was the joinery project. Now I have used power tools before, but never with such precise cuts like this. The joinery project was a project where we used a number of different joint methods to build 2 different frames. One small and one large. Of the tools we used I was very familiar with the table and compound miter saw, the band saw I have used before and also is very similar to a personal tool that I own for cutting foam, however the one saw that I had frequent trouble with was the Dato saw. This tool was a struggle for me to learn mainly due to the fact of me not fully understanding how to use the tool. I am used to quickly ripping through with my cuts, however the Dato does not work that way. It is designed to slowly cut into a piece, but can’t cut all the way through. If trying to cut straight through, or cutting too quickly would cause your piece to be pulled back into the blade, forcing you to stop the Dato and remove the piece. This happened to me 3 times, however I soon learned that going slow would create easier and cleaner cuts, but by putting an additional piece in front of the guard and your cutting piece, it helps prevent anything from being pulled back by the blade. Once learned, my cuts went much smoother and more precise. Furthermore, this project also helped me learn how to build multiple joints. I learned about them last semester but I was never able to properly make one due to school restrictions. However being able to get into the shop and construct the joints helped me learn a new trait, but also tools that I would be able to use out on the field such as a Dato saw for example. The main takeaway from this lab would have to be patience. As stated previously, I was not patient when it came to me using the Dato saw, which led to me on multiple occasions getting the piece jammed or messed up all together. But after taking my time I was able to get more clean and provide cuts. This can be applied to my mode, where in the beginning I would try to make cuts as quick as I can because I want to see how the end product will look. However, while moving quickly I ended up tearing the foam rather than cutting it. Not having clean cuts and lines sometimes wouldn’t even be straight. But recently I have been much more patient with my cuts, and it has paid off, helping me make straight and crisp cuts that can then be modified for details later.
