Well... what's a comfy chair without a footrest? In this video I cover how I made one for the chair i recently built that's pretty unique - it's gear actuated and fits completely beneath the chair when folded in.
Like I said in the video, the complexity of this was off the charts and the video would be several days long if I included all of the details that had to be worked out.
To give you an idea of how much time went into it, overall it took longer to design, build and debug than the chair itself.
A challenge indeed.
The gears are 3D printed from PETG and they are holding up very well, but I would like to make new ones from wood (or aluminum!) in the future, now that I have the mechanism perfected.
That's the beauty of 3D printing when you can design your own parts - it lets you quickly change parts during the design / build process.
You missed the chair build video? Watch it here: https://youtu.be/TUPEYgj003Y

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
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Believe it or not, designing a chair that's actually comfortable is one of the most difficult projects a woodworker can take on. Building one from an established plan is relatively easy, but starting from scratch is very much a venture into the unknown.
Chairs today are largely taken for granted, but there is a ton of trial and error in every design to make them comfortable to sit in for anything more than a few minutes.
I consider this design a success and more than that, a learning experience. Yes, even when you have been designing and building things for nearly 50 years, there are still lessons to learn.

Things I would / will change: the foam for the backrest cushions should be softer. Also I would like to reupholster the chair with leather and take my time doing that. The upholstery aspect of the project was the one part I had the least experience with, so I consider doing the chair with vinyl as a practice run.
Things I got right / perfect: the overall size, seating angles and the armrest height and size are bang-on. The springiness when you sit in the chair is also perfect - just enough give. The recline of the backrest is also flawless. It's stiff enough to support my back when sitting upright and compliant enough to slouch back in a more relaxed pose.
The Baltic birch plates for each cushion can be painted black, and that was my original plan. But then I thought the contrast between the plates and the black vinyl would be a more interesting look. Surely if i did a better job on the upholstery that would have been the case.
The one thing missing is a footrest and I'll be working on that soon.

Was the project worth it? Yes and no. If all you want is a comfortable recliner, it's much more economical to just buy one. But for those of us who live to make things, I see this as bucket list project, regardless of how much it cost or how long it took to do.

A problem I have with making project videos on YouTube is that the project needs to be finished. In my real life, none of my projects are ever actually finished - not truly finished, because I may (and often will) change or modify or improve something I wasn't happy with when I built it in the first place. So you need to look at this chair as something that works and I'm using it, but I ain't done yet.

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

Want more 3D print files for practical projects? Get them at my Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h

Here is the Dropbox link to download the stl files for this router template:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/q7ztalzvzlfhyz49jqcbe/Router-Template-Clamps.zip?rlkey=cgxefekw9q3m7wgr12qrfyskw&st=xkmuw4e2&dl=0

The files include the 3D printed router base that fits on the cordless 18V Makita trim router.
The project:
This is the 3rd or 4th or 5th version of an adjustable routing template I've made over the years, and I needed this one for another project I'm working on. This one is the easiest to build, if you have a 3D printer, and is quite compact when taken apart for efficient storage.
The wooden parts are 1/4" plywood that are just cut into strips and glued together.
The 3D printer used in this video is the X1C from #bambulab
The printer is, without exaggeration, awesome and I have no hesitation recommending it. The AMS allows multi-colour printing and mixing filament types, but mainly just makes the whole thing more convenient. I have 3 spools of ABS and one spoil of PETG in there now and can pick whichever I want without changing anything.

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/

▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#bambulab
#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

I designed and built this on the fly and it in the same way as the knife sharpener in my last video, except it does chisels and plane irons.
The trickiest part to make in the stepped holder and I show how to cut that safely on the table saw from a larger piece of wood.
The one mistake I made was not being precise enough while drilling the holes for the clamping bolts. The shafts of those bolts need to act as guide bars for the moving holder and if there's any slop it will not hold the chisel properly. Luckily there was a quick and easy fix for it: drilling the slot in the base and driving a screw to keep the holder down tight to the base. The screw is left just loose enough to allow the holder to slide freely.
The diamond plate is a credit card size with two grits, 300 and 600.
I'll be release the the stl files for a 3D printed version of this jig (and the depth gauge I used) on Patreon soon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

Get the 3D files for this sharpener (and other projects) on my Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
Who doesn't need sharp knives? This sharpener is easy to use, but insanely accurate and produces an edge that's surgically sharp. And you can do it the easy way by 3D printing it, or the hard way from wood. I used beautiful solid hardwood for mine, but any scrap wood will work.
Stay tuned for an accessory that turns this knife sharpener into a precision chisel sharpener! Details on that will be on my Patreon soon.
The printer I used for this project was the Bambu Lab P1P and the filament was basic PLA.

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking
#3dprinting
#bambulab

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

Get the free 3D print files for the No Snag sanding Block at 3D OCD:
https://www.youtube.com/@3DOCD

I designed the sanding block based on the full sheet sandpaper holder I made 2 years ago and you can watch that video here:
https://youtu.be/7-g2RwFEjIk
I call this the No-Snag Sanding Block and after I 3d printed it I figured I should make it from wood as well. It holds the sandpaper securely and is compact and the ergonomic grip makes it more comfortable to use than a standard sanding block because it keeps you wrist straight.

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
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Check out 3D OCD!
https://www.youtube.com/@3DOCD

The next band saw challenge is to make probably the most complex and intimidating parts on a homemade machine, the wheel. It has to be:
- precise and a 3D printer can do that easily
- balanced which is hard to do with wood (but easy with 3D printing)
- have a slight crown on the rim to make the blade track properly. Again easy to design in with a 3D printed wheel, but difficult to do when making it from wood
- strong and that was the question I answered in this video. The 3D printed wheel is absolutely strong enough even when left under tension for an extended period.
I printed the wheel in 10 pieces - 8 wheel segments and two hubs that took almost 20 hours to print.
The mistake I made that caused the wheel to wobble was having too much clearance around the alignment pins that fit into the holes in the wheel. A better way would be to either make it a tighter fit or make it so that it can be adjusted, i.e. bolted together rather than glued.
But wobble haw no effect on performance so a small amount is perfectly fine.
#3dprinting #bambulab

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

A buddy film - the perfect pairing of old school woodworking and new school 3D printing.
3D printing makes the hard-to-do a snap, like fixing my tail vise so that it turns the right way. And I have no doubt the fix is strong enough and will last for many years to come.
Watch how I build the workbench here:
https://youtu.be/ulZf1GTcWlk
There will be a strong mix of 3D printing in my projects from now on and some of those are available to my supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
The printer I'm using is the P1P model from #bambulab

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking #3dprinting

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

I have no doubt that a band saw can be made with 3d printed parts - all it would take is the right amount of testing and trial and error to determine how strong the parts need to be.
Of course it couldn't entirely made from 3d printed parts, but then a wooden band saw isn't 100% wood either. You would add metal where you need more concentrated strength, like screws, shafts, bolts and bearings. But I firmly believe everything else could be printed while you kick back munching Cheetos and watching YouTube, while not potentially cutting your fingers off on the table saw you don't know how to use safely.
And like I said in the video, you don't have to throw away a full day plus expensive paint to finish the parts. So I think that printing the parts (or even paying to have them printed from a stronger plastic) would be fairly economical.
For example, the table I printed used less than a full spool of filament, or roughly $25. The plywood I used to make the original costs MORE than that today! If you can get it, that is. And then you need to machine it and finish it and hope you don't make any mistakes.
So yeah, this may seem like a novelty project, but it is definitely not that.
Remember, guys were saying you CAN'T build a wooden band saw not that long ago. Never say never - you are betting against human ingenuity.

Watch the original build video I made for the band saw here:
https://youtu.be/-hVw8mpt9N0

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/

Short answer: good things happen! This is literally a game changer for someone who can use it as a tool for designing and testing projects.
The printer I settled on was from #bambulab the P1P model and I've been using it every day for the last month, sometimes 5 times per day!
To use it to it's full potential I've also been learning FreeCad. Powerful FREE software, but a steep learning curve.
I won't be posting videos on 3d printing on this channel, but my projects may include 3d printed parts and will also be putting the stl files for some finished projects (like the sanding blocks shown in this video) on my Patreon and Locals for supporters.
Oh and the strength test for the handscrew clamp - it was surprisingly strong! It crushed that full can of beans (try doing that with your bare hands, for example) before the glue broke on the handles. So it's pretty strong and could be a lot stronger with a bigger leadscrew. The spline down the centre of the leadscrew can be made from solid hardwood or even aluminum or steel, and that would make it many times stronger.

▶️ Project plans for sale: https://ibuildit.ca/plans/
▶️Support the work I do on Locals:
https://ibuildit.locals.com/
▶️ Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
▶️ Join my Makers Mob for detailed build tutorials:
https://go.themakersmob.com/john-heisz-i-build-it/?via=ibuildit

My "Scrap bin" channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/IBuildItScrapBin

#ibuildit
#woodworking

Website: https://ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/