4x4tographer

That's a heck of a nice set of tools to inherit! We purchased a small a planer last year to use when I started trying to up my furniture game, but quickly realized I ALSO need a jointer to get perfectly flat boards. So - another wish list item for my growing collection of tools! 😁 That shaper looks down-right nasty - I think I'll leave that one to the pros. 😳 Nice tip on their machining services! I'll have to check that out next time I'm in there. I was completely overwhelmed on my first visit and didn't pay attention to that. Your end tables look amazing! My cabinetry skills are pretty rudimentary right now. Building a perfectly square carcass with drawers that don't stick has been a major pain for me, mostly because I'm not terribly patient. 😅

I did! Was a pretty nice program. I couldn't believe some of the woods they had in there. Unbelievably exotic materials, some nice live edge slabs, and an amazing array of tools I can't afford (or have space for in my garage - I really want a full-size jointer). 😁 I was getting a lot of ideas for some future home furniture projects. Ain't that the truth!

Just a sign of inflation - I recently visited Woodworkers Source (an amazing place) and paid $116 out the door for a single sheet of 1/2 60x60” Baltic Birch. 🤢 But considering the lower quality 1/2 ply from the big box stores is about $85, it puts it into a bit of perspective. Looking forward to working with some much nicer quality wood for some upcoming projects!

Some photos from our weekend adventure through the Table Mesa rec area on Crapshoot, led by @SonoranWanderer! My personal first time on this trail - it was fun! The 2 obstacles on the trail were interesting and made you pause to think for a minute. The views were very nice with some scenic overlooks and plenty of wildflowers waiting to burst into color. The desert is extremely green right now. We had an interesting mix of vehicles with us, a 50/50 blend of current and "vintage". 😁 3 JLs, a YJ, an XJ, and a sweet Ramcharger.

A favorite from our recent visit to Crapshoot over in Table Mesa.

Great photo Tim!

That's a sick wheel and tire combo! Love the KO2 and those wheels look sharp as heck! You can't go wrong with LOD in my opinion. I'm leaning towards their Signature Series sliders in the future. The steel Destroyers are super nice as well.

Sorry Marty, just thought of something else. 😅 So with Metalcloak’s adjuster design, you’ll need some big-ass wrenches to adjust/tighten the drag link. I have some big adjustable wrenches, but for the extra ummmpf I had to get some crow feet to snap onto my breaker bar when tightening everything up.

Worth noting, Metalcloak has unparalleled customer service. I had initially emailed them to ask about clearance with their tie rod and my stock wheels. They told me up front that I’d have some issues. They recommended putting a few washers onto the steering stops on the knuckles - but said long term that spacers/new wheels were the final answer. All that to say, maybe give them a call/email and see if the same is true for the JK. Dimensionally we’re a little different, but they’re an honest bunch out there. Last note, I knew going into it that I was lifting, wheels/tires, new HD steering… so the domino effect was anticipated in my case :) There may be some aftermarket tie rod options out there that work with OEM wheels, but in generally I found Metalclock to be the most budget-friendly HD option on the market.

With the appropriate-sized pickle fork you can avoid the PITA I went through. Mine was a touch too small. Granted the JL is a little different, I ran the Metalcloak drag link and tie rod on my stock wheels for a few months. The only clearance issue I had was with the new ginormous 1 Ton TREs on the tie rod itself coming into contact with my factory offset wheels at full steering lock. If you get the Metalcloak tie rod too, you’ll probably have the same issue unless you change wheels or add wheel spacers. The TRE on the drag link had plenty of clearance to my recollection. My issue was solely with the tie rod.

Ooooooo looking good!

Found a more detailed news story: https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article272717865.html

Well that’s a damn shame. I’ve never made it up that way. I see posts of various social site by “influencers” ALL the time about Grand Falls, so I guess I can’t say I’m surprised.

Thanks everyone! 🤩