Let's Talk Wood

Only in Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Furniture Design Tip # 9 - scanning for fun

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Before I get started with today's blog, I just wanted to share an old picture of happier times. We lost my dad nine years ago today, and life has never been the same without him. He was creative, smart, and resourceful, and I know that's where much of my design sense originated. I still have small sketches and pieces of his artwork around my home and shop. They're both a comfort and an inspiration for me.

Miss you, Pop!

OK, on to the blog....

Codependency.

codependency |ˌkōdəˈpendənsē|nounexcessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, (my computer, in this case) typically a partner who requires support due to an illness or (design) addiction.

Yes, I will admit it - I am codependent on (with?) my laptop. As much as it frustrates the hell out of me, it is a tool on which I rely for much of my design work.

OK, most of my design work.

About a year ago, I was sketching ideas for a headboard that I wanted to build. I was in a "beefy" phase, and everything I was drawing was oversized and heavy. But it was attractive, and a nice counterpoint to some of the other pieces I was making. So I made this simple sketch in my sketchbook.

You know, the sketchbook that is attached to my hip.

You have to be very careful when you make a small sketch, and then try to turn it in into a full sized drawing. It's so easy to look at something and think - oh, this stretcher needs to be 3" wide, and when you cut the actual piece, the scale is all wrong. That is why full sized drawings are so important.

Which leads me back to my codependency.

With my Mac, I can scan my small sketches - yes, the ones on napkins from Capriotti's or the poke carry-out up the street, with splotches of greasy goodness on them. If the sketch has the right proportions, the scan it will enlarge it perfectly, to the full sized dimension you want. In this case, I wanted that vertical piece of wood to be about 8" wide.

After scanning and enlarging it, this is the result. Considering this paper is 8.5" x 11", this drawing is more or less full scale.

That also brings up another valid point - scanners and digital cameras are just as important woodworking tools as my planer or tablesaw. If you have a small sketch and don't have a suitable printer at home, head to Kinko's and let them print full scale drawings. Sweet.

That's all for today, I'm heading to the shop. If I'm lucky, I'll have some time to find some suitable wood and hopefully put together this headboard. Since all of the proportions have been worked out ahead of time, it should go together pretty easily.

Of course, I've said that before...

A spray gun like you've never seen before

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Winter is really brutal on my hands.

I've been working on a blog post about hand care for woodworkers. We even discussed this at the Sin City Woodworkers meeting the other night. In an upcoming post, I'll share what some of the other members suggested, as well as a few tips of my own.

But - while I was doing some research, I came across this video. It contains a some images that might be a little disturbing. But - if I could handle, you probably can, too. I have a very low tolerance for looking at blood and gore.

And the technology that this video demonstrates is amazing.

Testing the Festool Vacuum

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:59:00 +0000

Yes, I've been MIA. If you knew half of the work I've been doing, you would understand.

One of the projects on my plate right now is working with saltillo tile, which can be tricky. Its rustic quality and warm colors make it an attractive flooring choice. But damn! It's a lot of work. There are stacks of it everywhere in my studio.

You usually purchase this tile unfinished, which means you can stain it to match just about anything. You can use regular woodworking stains - like a Minwax, thinning it out with mineral spirits if the color is too dark. I usually mix up a small amount, like a half cup of thinner to a teaspoon of stain. And then paint a small section of the raw tile. Then add another teaspoon and paint another sample area. I repeat this a couple of times, and then the next day, when the stain is dry, I'll compare it to what I need to match. Once you know the right ratio formula, you can do the math and mix up gallons of the correct hue.

Well... that is the theory.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. After staining it with what I thought was the perfect recipe, I felt like it looked a little too light, so I gave it a second coat.

Remember that line in Pretty Woman?

Big Mistake. HUGE.

There was only one solution - and it wasn't a pretty one. Sanding all the pieces.

But I'll tell you this - if you had any doubts about Festool vacuums, this should prove their worth.

After sanding down all 250 square feet of tile, with virtually no airborne dust, I needed to change the vacuum bag on this unit. When I pulled off the hose, there was a trace of terra cotta dust in the port.

I grabbed the box of vacuum bags.

They're ridiculously expensive (close to $40 for 5 bags!) but - what about Festool isn't expensive?

When I opened the vacuum to change the bag, there wasn't a speck of dust inside.

Even the air filters are pristine. They look like they're brand new, and I've been using this vacuum for two years.

I pulled out the bag, it was filled with clay dust

and remembered that Festool includes this cool little plug for the filler port. How smart.

After all the staining and subsequent sanding, I am a little burnt on finishing this project. And my hands are simply raw from working with the dry clay. At the Sin City Woodworkers meeting last night, I asked everyone what they use for hand care, because my hands are in a world of hurt. By mutual agreement, Bag Balm seems to be the hand lotion of choice.

Let's just say I wish I had a 5 gallon bucket of it right now, to soak my hands in! This clay dust is extremely harsh on your hands, and mine are rough as 80 grit sandpaper. Oh well, my days of hand modeling are long behind me, so I guess it really doesn't matter. I just want them to feel normal again!

And I want this tile work to be finished!

The Argument for Handmade

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:43:00 +0000

How can it be possible that this is my 400th blog post?

Some people have written to tell me they've gone back and read every post I've written. All I can say is - thanks for sticking around, some of the stuff here falls right into the drivel category. Especially some of my earliest stuff. What was I thinking? Sure, I could go back and delete it, but it is sort of like erasing pages in your diary. What's the point?

I saw this video today and I can't tell you how much I loved it. Grab a cup of coffee, and put your feet up.

That video made me remember something that I had forgotten. I was recently in e-mail contact with a cousin of mine, and we were talking about family stuff. She's an artist, too, and I mentioned to her that I thought my sister was really the talented one in my family, the one with true artistic vision. And our conversation reminded me of this book that my sister gave me, many many years ago.

I think she gave this to me right as I was heading off to college, and of course, I had no idea what I was going to study. I used to joke that during my first year in school, I majored in majors.

But I eventually found the path I wanted to take, and honestly, looking back, I think this book may have nudged me in the direction of furniture making. I remember looking at every single page, with the images searing into my brain.

I just grabbed the book from my bookshelf and thumbed through the yellowed pages. It was a little shocking, I see little details in my current work gleaned from pieces of furniture in this book.

I vividly remember seeing this cabin and thinking to myself - I want to live like that someday.

And ten years later, I built this home for myself.

First of all, how is that even possible that I can remember that, when I can't even remember what I wore yesterday, or had for dinner last night? But I swear, I remember it.

All of this reminds me that is the small things in life that really do give us a good deal of joy. Like owning a really good knife, or having a really perfect overstuffed chair where you might enjoy that whiskey sour in the evening. Life can't be perfect for us; in fact, it is often so imperfect that it is frustrating.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I am not preaching about acquiring things. I am writing about having good, solid things in your life, that make you happy. It could be something handed down, or bought at a flea market. The origin isn't as important as the thought and reasoning and inspiration behind it.

That is why I so badly want to buy one of those knives, even though I have a drawer full of Wusthofs and Santokus and a Henckel or two.

Designing and Building a Dining Table

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:13:00 +0000

It isn't like I woke up one day and noticed my dining room table was missing, but - well, that's pretty much the way it turned out. I won't bore you with the details, but I've had an empty dining room for over a year, and eating dinner on the couch was getting old. The good news is - tables are my specialty!

I had an idea in mind. A couple of months ago, I built this table base and really loved it. So that is what was inspiring me when I started to build this new table. My table.

Actually, I had three ideas floating around in my brain, so I started sketching them, full sized, on cardboard. There was a point early in my career where I didn't enjoy sketching; I just thought it was better to grab some wood and start cutting. Luckily, I've learned to appreciate working things out on paper first, and I'm positive it makes me a better woodworker.

It only takes about 15 minutes to come up with a decent sketch. I usually just grab some set-up blocks and a couple of straight edges, and turn the music up.

(Double click on the video below to view it full screen)

(A HUGE thank-you to Lupe for helping me with this video! You rock!)

The hardest part was deciding which of the three designs I liked the best. I decide by propping up the drawings, side by side, and comparing them.

I chose the one with curved sides, which was odd. I usually don't prefer curves for my own pieces. More about that later.

These Ash boards were screaming to be made into a table.

This kick-ass radial arm saw is perfect for rough cutting large timbers to length.

I matched the grain very carefully,

and then glued them up into wider panels.

This is what a day of planing, shaping and machining the tenons will accomplish.

The top and bottom rails were next; here the mortises are located,

and then cut into the pieces.

At this stage, there is a fair amount of fitting to be done; a shoulder plane and a chisel are perfect for this task.

These sides were made over the course of two or three days, and one thing is for sure -

I make a hell of a mess when I am in the middle of a project!

Stella was watching me from the other room. You know what she wanted.

With everything fit, shaped, and sanded, it was time to glue the sides together.

The small details, like this mounting hole and the gentle taper on this rail, all add to the beauty of this piece. I can't stress how important it is to have all these details clear in your mind ahead of time, instead of just working them out as you go. Like I did.

When the sides were complete, I added a couple of center stretchers to connect the two sides. These were nice, beefy boards that were tucked back far enough so you won't smack you knees into them.

This table top is nearly four feet wide, and seven feet long; it will seat eight comfortably. The last bit of work required on the table was was two rails, so that the top could be attached to the base. I've always like these dovetailed joints, so I decided to utilize them on these rails. First I routed a dovetailed mortise in the rails.

And then machined a dovetail in a scrap piece of wood, testing the fit.

It took a few tweaks to get a nice, tight fit. I labeled the piece and made the rails.

All that was left was to cut a small shoulder on the bottom of the tenon, so the rail could sit flush.

I added a KD (knock-down) bolt - to keep everything snug, square and parallel. Damn, I love these bolts - I use them all the time, and they're perfect for furniture that you might have to disassemble some day.

And finally - the completed base.

All that is left is to attach the top.

But... here is my dilemma. Remember earlier when I said I wasn't completely sold on this design? As mush as I preach about sketching everything out ahead of time, about working out all of the details before cutting a single board, sometimes things just look different in wood than they do on paper.

So while I like this table a lot, I'm not 110% sure it is the table I want in my dining room. I'm just picky that way, I drive myself crazy sometimes.

So I'll just keep it in the shop for a while, co-existing with it until I jump off the fence and decide. Meanwhile, if anyone is in need of a new dining room table, I'll make you a heck of a deal!

A blog post about nothing

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:32:00 +0000

As my friend Stacey would say - I got nuttin'

The school is in recess right now, til the end of the month, which is nice. It gives me a chance to work on some things around the shop, do some repairs, and hopefully, clean the place up a bit.

People who hang out at the shop know I'm working in a dining room table right now. I'm on the bubble about it - not sure if I love the design yet, although it seems to be getting some nice comments. Let's just say I haven't bonded with it yet. I'll be blogging about it soon.

But for right now - I got nuttin'. Except this...

I got this in the mail the other day, and it just made me laugh.

More shop essentials...

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:47:00 +0000

My friend Lupe pointed out to me the other day that I'm close to 100 blog posts for the year. (I'm at 99 right now.) So I thought I'd get one last post in for this year - I'm not sure why, but an even one-hundred posts sounds like a nice achievement.

It has been a long time since I wrote about being a tool junkie, and lately, I've been hanging out at The Onion's website, so I thought I might play around with something here.

Now - if you're reading this, then you're probably already interested in woodworking. Besides actual bench tools, like chisels or measuring tapes, there are tons of other devices I deem necessary for my shop. Yup - you know what that means - ... MORE TOOLS!

Here are some of my shop (and home) essentials ...

___

Who doesn't get chapped lips from being around sawdust all day?

Speaking of chapped lips, let's not forget the abuse our hands take all year long. If you're like me and wash your hands every twenty minutes (no, it's not from OCD) - then you might as well use a cool dispenser.

There is nothing like a nice pair of gloves to provide some protection from those nasty splinters.

Speaking of splinters - these might help. They're nearly 12" long.

My hands take a beating, don't yours? Do you develop those awful cracks on the tips of your fingers? Me too - and they hurt beyond belief! If you've used finger cots for some protection, you know that they can really speed up the healing process. Here are my favorite ones.

As long as we're talking about shop essentials, let's not forget the need for packing tape. When I sell something from my Etsy site, I usually wrap it with this.

Hearing protection in the shop is important, but sometimes, when the tools are too loud to hear the music, I throw on a set of ear buds and listen to my iPod. The only other set I like better are my chainsaw ear buds, but unfortunately, I accidentally cut the cord on them.

Of course, at the end of a long day, my muscles are aching. This USB portable massager really comes in handy.

Owning a small business isn't easy. So when my day is done at the shop and I head home, keeping up with my housecleaning is a challenge. These have saved me a lot of valuable time.

Who doesn't love a piece of ice cold watermelon? This personal chiller is the only way to go, in my book.

I wasn't a girl scout, but I'm usually prepared for anything, thanks to my new Swiss Army knife.

And finally - laundry sometimes takes a back seat to other important things, like sleeping or watching old episodes of Chopped. So these come in really handy when I'm low on clean laundry. I also keep a box of these in my cargo van - you just never know when you'll need them!

Happy New Year, everyone!

The most amazing GI Joe collection ever

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:17:00 +0000

What a shame - this blog post has been on hold for over a year.

IT.
IS.
FABULOUS.

The scope of this post has been one of those things that just gets shoved to the back burner - too much to write about, and ... where do I even begin? I've worked on it at least a dozen times, and since I've mentioned it to a few people, they're all "when's it coming out?" on me every other week.

Well, here it is, and I hope I do it justice.

This is the most amazing GI Joe collection in the world.

OK, I just made that last part up, but I think it's the most amazing collection. About a year ago, I met a fellow with whom I had an instant connection. In fact, we joked that we may have been brother and sister in a past life, we felt so familiar with each other.

Tony is a military buff, to say the least. He's served in Iraq, and along with is family, has devoted much of his life to the armed forces. Our first day together was spent walking around Nellis Air Force Base, touring museums, watching fighter jets take off and land, and even meeting with a small delegation of Saudi fighter pilots, for whom I was building a piece of furniture. Not your typical day in the life of a woodworker!

When I went to Tony's home, he mentioned that he had a small collection room that might need some cabinetry built in it. Then he proceeded to take me on a tour of his GI Joe room. Well, that's what I call it. He would probably refer to it as his Military History Museum.

Let's take a walk around...

(Oh - and I hope you're not offended at my language at the beginning of this video, but I was overwhelmed by this room!)

How do you even organize a collection like this? From the beginning of time, no doubt. This collection showcases military uniforms, working around the room in a dizzying display from the biblical era to current military dress codes. While the top shelves depict world history, each column (or bookcase) depicts military scenes from that era. For example, the top corner starts with Egyptian warriors, then moved to Greece, then to Roman soldiers, to Germans, and so on. My head is already spinning.

These shelves are arranged by countries, and major players of European wars - the Germans, Italians, Brits, French, the Russians, then Chinese then N. Korea then Viet Nam.

Scattered throughout the room are small vignettes of historical scenes - below is D-Day at Normandy.

The detail in these scenes is incredible, down to a soldier's shoelaces.

This row starts American soldiers in the late 1870s to the beginning of WW2, including Civil war, World War One, World War Two, and Korea.

As my buddy was giving me a tour, my hand couldn't takes notes fast enough.

Here are English soldiers - from Colonial England thru WW1. Is your head starting to spin like mine was?

WW1-WW2 (England)

Here is a brief history of Italian military uniforms, these are desert wear, winter gear, and camouflage.

Americans uniforms developed over the course of the war, these are from the Korean war. That is Elvis on the lower right corner.

Here's a German Kettenkrad motorcycle with tracks in the back.

It looks like a mini tank, and started out a light duty farm vehicle for airborne troops, and was small enough to be driven right into airplanes that could transport them around. Here is Tony's version of that - I wish I'd gotten a shot from the front, this is an AWESOME piece.

On the right (below) is a light artillery cannon, used by German paratroopers. On top, the soldiers (OK, the dolls....) depict colonial (American revolution - 1820) To the beginning of the navy. And the jeeps below? Jeesh! If you thought the GI Joes were amazing, the jeeps will blow you away.

Here is an American jeep with rocket launchers, Vietnam era.

These are all WW2 era jeeps - navy, army, medical jeep and battle of the bulge.

Civil war union troops on top, confederate troops on bottom.

More 1960's vintage GI Joes and jeep

Here is a German Panzer VI Tiger tank, from WW2. This is an all metal tank, weighing about 63 tons, the first to mount an 88 MM gun.

German half-track Std 250 armored personal vehicle WW2, used as a command car.

One on front is a WW2 German 20 MM anti aircraft gun, behind it is a anti aircraft 20 MM quad gun. In the movie, Saving Private Ryan, this gun was featured in the scene where where the Americans were trying to destroy the German tank in the small village.

Here is an M-5 American WW2 tank, middle is a White Scout car, and Dodge staff car. Patton is on the far right in this scene.

A WW2 German side car motorcycle with a Bazooka Panzer Schweck rocket launcher.

Are your eyes starting to glaze over yet? No? OK, here's a Jeep from the Grenada conflict (Panama era) called a Mutt jeep, with an M-60 machine gun.

And another Vietnam era jeep.

A WW2 military police (MP) jeep

I told you this collection was incredible, right? Words can hardly describe the detail included with every scene.

Another shot of D Day at Normandy.

A scene from Band of Brothers (paratroopers from WW2).

And here are the Screaming Eagles, 101st airborne division.

Part of the diorama from above - a German camp site (notice the livestock for food).

Another picture of the camp, notice the horse drawn field kitchen. the Germans had to live off the land when they invaded a town, unlike the Americans who supplied themselves with C rations to feed their troops. Americans had standardized equipment, the Germans did not. Below is a a scene from a German mess area, complete with bags of potatoes and farm animals.

A POW camp watchtower

A scene from "A Bridge Too Far" with British paratroopers. Check out the flame thrower on the right.

It has been said that war is hell; these small vignettes capture some of those heatbreaking scenes. Here are two paratroopers, with one cutting his buddy loose.

The dolls (OK, GI Joes) are fascinating, but all of the accessories are amazing, too. Like these crated supplies

or a medic's field kit.

Here, a soldier receives a blood transfusion in the field.

One of my favorite scenes, from Pearl Harbor. This gun actually had sound, check out the video below.

I was never a huge history buff, so if I've mislabeled some of these images, I apologize. My hand couldn't write as quickly as my "brother" Tony narrated each scene.

And finally, a scene more personal that I tried to capture. This GI Joe represents Tony's son, who is currently serving in the Air Force.

The details on this military bag are incredible -

down to the embroidery of his name on the bag.

Soldiers keep a small notebook with them; here is his book, with some notes written inside.

They also keep maps handy, here you can see one strapped to his leg.

Simply incredible detail, down to the incidentals stuffed into his cargo pocket.

I'd like to thank Tony for sharing this amazing room with me; if I had one wish, it would be that you could experience it first hand, like I did. Once your head stops spinning, you'd be in for an incredible journey throughout history.

But besides thanking Tony for the tour, I'd like to thank him for his service to our country. And his family's service. It should go without saying - but I am going to mention it, anyway! - that behind every good soldier, there is usually a wife or husband that should be thanked, too. So - Hilda - you're an amazing, integral (and beautiful!) part of this, too.

Tony is just the type of guy who you envision when you think of the perfect soldier. Strong, brilliant, fearless, compassionate.

Well done, Brother!

A decendent of Thomas Crapper?

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Who knows what attracts us to the things we like? Not to get all esoteric on you, but it has been suggested that the attractions we have today were formed in our past lives.

There may be something to it - why would a child be able to pick up a violin and play like a master? Why do we have certain tendencies for the things we enjoy - like woodworking or rock climbing or whatever?

I don't know enough about it to understand it, but there has to be something to it.

Getting what we want...

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Hope you didn't get any "pink stuff" under your tree!

Merry Christmas, everyone. Hope your holiday is peaceful and full of love!

You bring the hot dogs, I'll bring the saw...

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:38:00 +0000

Here it is, December 22, and I'm finally done with all of my commitments for the year. I can't tell you how happy that makes me, as this has been one busy-heck-of a-roller-coaster-ride.

Last night, at our monthly meeting of Sin City Woodworkers, we held our yearly holiday party. Patty at SawStop generously sent us a demo cartridge and expendable sawblade, so we installed them into one of the saws and made our own hot dog video.

Awesome.

(Double click on the video to bring it up full screen. That is the best way to watch this!)

You can read more about Sin City Woodworkers here, on our blog.

I've said it before, but one of the best ways to become a better woodworker is to hang out with other woodworkers. Our group has shared their talents for everything from carving to turning, hand tool skills to marquetry. And much more.

A few years ago, we were all strangers. But - by luck and hard work and perseverance, we're coming up on our three year anniversary. If you're feeling isolated and wishing your had someone to bounce some ideas around with - please consider starting your own local woodworking group. You won't be sorry.

Assembling the new SawStop

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:36:00 +0000

This should have been the Christmas card that I sent out this year.

Yup, there was another SawStop under my tree this year. Well, if I actually had a tree.

Earlier this year, I bought their Contractor saw. While it was a perfectly nice saw, I was slightly underwhelmed with the fence on it. For my shop, and my students, it seemed a little less durable than it should be. Do you have any idea how hard people can be with the tools at my shop?

The good news is - I had an opportunity to sell the smaller saw and upgrade to their Professional saw. Um... where do I send the check?

I jumped at the chance. A week later, I had a pallet full of parts.

This is maybe the 20th tablesaw I've put together, I used to tell my students in Ohio - buy a saw, I'll help you set it up. Good times.

Since it's the third SawStop I've assembled in the last three years, so it's getting to the point where I could put one together with one eye closed.

Obviously, the first thing to tackle was the mobile base. Unfortunately, I snapped a axle bolt in half when I was tightening it.

Is it weird that I have SawStop Tech Support on speed dial in my phone?

You have to hand it to them - they have their act together when it comes to directions and labeling of the parts. If you can read the directions and use a wrench, you can put this baby together without any difficulty.

It looks rather vulnerable when it is laying on it's back, but that is how it arrives.

Peel off all the packing to reveal a gorgeous machine.

Some people get excited over a new Mercedes. Me? I'll take a saw.

If I wasn't getting interrupted every ten minutes, I would have had this together in one afternoon.

Everyone kept stopping in to see the new addition.

I would say the hardest part of the assembly was attaching the cast iron wings. But - with a rolling cart, you can do it yourself.

The fence in one of the last things you attach, and their hardware pack is extremely
well designed.

The closer I came to finishing, the more trash built up in the shop. This saw comes with a ton of packing and padding.

And the only problem (besides the broken axle bolt) came at the end, when I had four bolts left over. Since the hardware packs are all labeled so well, I know the leftover bolts came from the fence assembly.

Note to self: lock the door and don't let people hang out (and distract you!) when you're assembling something like this!

So - how is it?

After owning all three versions of their tablesaws, I feel that the Professional saw is the best model for the money. I'm not sure I notice a huge difference between the Industrial saw versus this Professional one. If I had it to do all over again, I would have gone with this model from the start. It's hefty and powerful, and every bit as accurate as the higher priced model.

Just my two cents...

A time for turning...

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:50:00 +0000

A friend and I decided to take a lathe class, so last week we spent a few days with Jimmy Clewes. You remember my friend - we went to the Star Trek convention together.

She's adventurous and hilarious, smart and supportive - people like that don't come into your life all that often. So when she mentioned wanting to learn more about lathe work, I jumped at the opportunity. A refresher course is always a good thing!

Jimmy doesn't waste a lot of time talking about what you'll be doing - he assesses your level of expertise, and within minutes, you're starting your first piece. Ann began making a small lidded box

while I started a shallow platter.

Along the way, Jimmy will stop the class and demonstrate a technique, or speak about a pertinent design point - anything from dying wood

to tool sharpening, to polishing compounds.

After day one, we both felt much more confident about everything - and left with a much better sense of what we could accomplish.

Way back when I first started teaching, I asked a friend for a bit of advice, and the one bit that really stuck with me is that people respond to praise. That may sound oversimplified, but praising one's work will elicit better results over anything else - and throughout the years, I've always kept that in the back of my mind. Even if someone's project isn't coming out in a spectacular fashion, you can always find something about it to compliment.

Jimmy teaches quite similarly - he's quick to praise, yet will step in to help when he sees that you need it. The best thing I can say about him is that he teaches with an open heart, which is a wonderful quality to employ. He loves what he does, and still has that zest for sharing his expertise.

Day two, I tackled a slightly more complex project - a square lidded piece. Here it is mounted on the lathe, this will eventually become the bottom of the piece.

A small tenon is formed in the bottom, so that I'll be able to mount it in a chuck.

A little more wood is removed, and you can see the form is starting to take shape.

A coat of sanding sealer and a coat of Watco make this piece start to sing.

Then it's flipped around and the bowl is starting to emerge.

It's not really that difficult turning a square piece, but you have to know where those corners are spinning. There were a few times when I lost track of them, and whacked a knuckle or two on the wood.

Once the base was completed, coffee and some critiquing allowed me to rest up a bit before I started the lid.

My main goal for taking this class was to familiarize myself with various lathe accessories that are available. I'd never used a chuck before, but instead, had relied upon gluing scrap wood to the bottom of a piece, so that I wouldn't screw a faceplate directly into the bottom of a bowl. This class was a great introduction to lathe accessories - and with the plethora of products out there, now it's just a matter of deciding which ones I want to add to my tool arsenal.

Back to the lid - here it is in the chuck, and I'm forming the bottom lip that will fit into the base. Calipers and a good eye make this easy.

Once I've got a good fit, I flip the lid around in the chuck, and tackle the top. This lid is fairly small, about three inches square, so a delicate touch is necessary.

And finally - the finished piece.

Ann finished a small lidded box on the first day, so she started a platter the next day. Here is the bottom being sealed with a bit of Watco.

When dry, it is flipped around in the lathe chuck and top of the bowl is worked. A lathe chuck is quite similar to a drill chuck, it has jaws that tighten around something, to hold it in place. Those jaws can hold something inside, much the way a drill chuck holds a drill bit.

Or then can exert pressure outward. I know it sounds confusing, but there are tons of videos on YouTube that will help illuminate how lathe chucks work.

These platter projects were a perfect introduction to aniline dyes, something I've been wanting to add into my work for a long time.

Jimmy gently blends the dyes together with the help of a spray-on top coat.

If you've considered taking a lathe class, but can't muddle through all the offerings out there, you might want to consider taking a class with Jimmy. I've been to quite a few classes/workshops/seminars/wastesoftime - and have to say that Jimmy's class was one of the best I've attended. He shares his talent in a multitude of ways - both in the shop, as well as in the kitchen (he cooked lunch for us both days) - and is a pure joy to be around. His enthusiasm is infectious, so here is my prediction - the turning bug will bite you. Hard.

Pneumatic table saw

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:47:00 +0000

This has been a hectic week in the shop, but I just had to share this with you. One of my students mentioned that she'd purchased a pneumatic benchtop tablesaw - wow, not like you're going to find one of those at a garage sale every day!

But that's exactly where she found it. She brought it to class the other night, and we hooked it up to the air compressor to give it a look-see.

Sure, it is small, but with the right blade, it has the capability of making some decent cuts. The fence was actually pretty accurate!

Here is the air hose attachment fitting - I've been around tablesaws for almost my entire life and I've never seen one of these!

The "on/off" switch is pretty simple, too.

So how does it cut?

The most romantic holiday gift ever

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

This might be the most romantic holiday gift ever!

About ten months ago, a very nice gentleman stopped by my shop with some ideas about things he wanted me to build. His only request - the pieces had to be done by the time the holidays rolled around. The first piece was a small carving, and even though I don't consider myself that skilled with a carving chisel, I have to say - that piece was amazing!

Well here it is, the holidays are creeping up, and a few weeks ago, I started on the second one of his pieces - a Wheel of Fortune game.

Only there is a little twist. Instead of dollar amounts in each segment, he will be putting the names of various destinations on the segments. When his wife spins the wheel, she will be spinning for a trip to someplace like Paris, or Hawaii, or London, or ... well, you get the idea.

Luckily, I've had months to work out all the details in my head. That is usually how I build something - by building it in my mind first.

I started with the individual wheel segments; I figured that everything else could be scaled around those dimensions. Since we'd agreed on twelve different segments, a little geometry was in order.

I needed to cut twelve identical pie shaped pieces, so I made a simple tapering jig for cutting each piece.

My angle was off just a bit, so I "corrected" it by adding a small shim to the jig, to get the angle perfect.

And I cut a few scrap pieces to see if my angles were correct. They were.

Here is the selection of wood I used - walnut, ash, mahogany and maple. I planed them all to a uniform thickness,

and then used the jig to cut them into segments.

The ends had to be tweaked slightly, so I headed to the chop saw for that.

Once I reassembled this - all I could hear was...

Wheel!

Of!

Fortune!

If you live in Vegas, you know that chant well. It blasts inside nearly every casino.

The base and upright support for the wheel were next. With the help of a large lazy susan mechanism, building it went well. I have to say - I enjoy building by the seat of my pants. No plans, no constraints, just a clear vision of what I need for the piece.

The only problem with working this way is that there is a sense of mania in the woodshop. I'm more concerned with solving design problems than cleaning up after myself, so the place tends to get a bit messy.

When it gets to the point where I can't find anything on my bench, I straighten it up and then the mess starts all over again.

These wheel segments still have to be painted. One side will be plain, and the other will have the destination on it. So they need to be reversible. I love the small walnut hub that I made for the center of the wheel. It holds the tips of all the segments in place, and looks very cool when the wheel is spinning.

I'm not sure what it's called, but the little pointer that separates the segments had me stumped. That's when two heads are better than one - my buddy Tom wandered into my shop, watched me for a few minutes, and had the perfect solution. I'd probably spent two hours thinking about it as I was working, and he solved the dilemma in just two minutes.

Isn't it odd how our minds work like that?

Over the years, I've made some really odd/interesting pieces - like a display case for a vintage bedpan, which was a retirement gift for a nurse. Or the couch made from old bleacher seats from Cleveland Stadium. Or the fighter jet flight ejection handle trophy. Or the... well, there have been many cool ones.

But this one might be one of my more memorable pieces.

It's always something....

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:46:00 +0000

When you have as many people using your tools as I do, things are bound to break. Or wear out. Or get dull. Or...you get the idea.

So when the switch on one of the jointers started acting up - it wasn't like I could call my local tool repairman to come over and fix it. Ummm... I'm the tool repairer.

Of course, I was just guessing it was the switch, and not the motor. That would be really bad.

I started by pulling the switch cover off,

but then I realized that I'd have to go a step further and remove the whole front of the machine.

Here is what I'm looking for - the switch box.

One thing I've learned (the hard way) is to label everything before disconnecting a single wire.

Once everything was tagged, I removed the switch and bypassed it, by connecting both black wires together, and both white wires together. If you don't want a permanent hair perm, it's best to unplug the machine first.

After the switch was bypassed and the wires connected with wire nuts, I plugged the machine in. As I suspected - it started up just fine. About a half hour later, I'd located a replacement switch online, and ordered it.

Gotta love the internet! The part arrived a few days later.

Getting ready to install it - but first -

I added some connectors to the ends of the wires, to make the connection more secure.

Out with the old, in with the new.

If you're going to own tools like these, you might as well learn to repair them yourself. It's difficult to find anyone to repair them, and who wants to spend money on that, anyway?

But - the best part? It's actually fun to repair them. That may sound stupid, but it's a nice break from working with wood all the time. And the sense of accomplishment is pretty great, too.

Adding tile to wood

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Classes are on a short break right now, which gives me some solid blocks of time to catch up on holiday orders. Last year, I overextended myself and I was miserable! So I vowed to lighten my load a little bit. I'm thrilled that I remembered to do that this year!

I've been working on a large mirror, and my clients wanted to add a small section of tile in the mirror frame, to tie it in with some other pieces in their home. They chose a gorgeous glass tile that has some texture in it; it looks amazing next to the African Mahogany that I used to build the frame.

But textured tile can often be tricky to work with - as the grout can get into the texture and ruin the look of the piece.

Here is the mirror with the grout drying - the area is masked off so that the grout doesn't stain the wood.

Once the grout dries, I uses a small piece of burlap to wipe off the residue. It helps to do this over a trash can, so all the dried bits of grout simply fall into it.

It is a little hard to see here, but the grout has infiltrated the texture, and needs to be removed. This is when I pull out my secret weapon -

a small section of dowel rod.

Sharpen one end in a pencil sharpener,

so that you get a pointy end.

Then - using that end, you can dig the grout out of the cracks. The dowel is much kinder to the tile than using a nail or something sharp that can scratch it.

Once - I used a pencil to do this, and ended up having to go back and wipe out graphite from the area that I was cleaning. Take it from me - don't use a pencil, no matter how handy it might seem.

An here is the finished tiled area - it's gorgeous!

The mirror is done and awaiting pick up - so I'm on to my next project - and this one is a doozy! I'll give you one hint -

you know you're a woodworker when...

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:54:00 +0000

Even though Fall officially ended a while ago, it is just starting to feel like it here. The leaves finally fell from the trees, covering the deck.

The garden was still raging, but with cooler temps coming, I decided it was time to pull everything out. I didn't want to do this when it's 45˚ and rainy outside, so better now than later.

I cut the artichoke plants down a month ago, covering them with mulch. We've had such nice weather that they've spurted right back out the top of the mulch.

Peppers are easy - just rinse them,

clean them and pop them right in the freezer.

Of course, it helps if you have a garden assistant.

Eggplant has become one of my favorite vegetables - they grow like weeds.

And there's nothing like grilled eggplant to make you feel like you're eating healthy.

After the garden was relieved of it's duty, it was time to move on to a more pressing chore - assembling the new saw. Yes, I bought another SawStop.

SawStop makes three different versions of their saw; this is the Mama (medium sized) version. After assembling two of them already, I thought that things would go more smoothly this time around.

But after snapping a bolt in half while assembling the mobile base, I knew things weren't going to go so well.

In fact - you know you're a woodworker when you have SawStop's tech support number on speed-dial.

It's a good thing there are lots of other things I can work on until that bolt arrives!

I have a few commissions to complete before Christmas arrives, so you'll know where to find me!

Adirondack Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:46:00 +0000

We just finished a terrific class on building Adirondack chairs - and I couldn't be more proud of the chairs that everyone built. I used to offer this class every summer in Ohio, and it was quite popular. But - here in the desert? Most locals don't know what an Adirondack chair is, let alone how to pronounce it!

The plans are based on this book, which I think is one of the best on the subject.

Most of the people in this class had a few classes under their belt, so they felt pretty comfortable with the building process. Still, there were a few new techniques that challenged them.

We started with the chair base; here they are, lined up after class.

Next came the backs; everyone had an opportunity to put their own spin on their chairs.

Once the back and base were finished, things started progressing pretty quickly.

One of the bigger challenges in this class was plugging all the screw holes. Everyone in the class became quite skilled with a mallet and chisel. Or not.

I built my chair out of lyptus - remind me to think twice about it, if I decide to use lyptus again! It's heavy and I'm allergic to it. A nasty splinter I got on the first day of class still hasn't healed.

But it sure is pretty!

Stella and I had to try it out, even though I hadn't attached the arms yet.

It was a joy to watch everyone's chair parts turn into a complete chair. This chair was modeled on a photo that one student brought in. Her back was dramatic and - simply gorgeous!

Smiling while plugging holes is a good sign!

The most rewarding thing is to see the look of accomplishment on everyone's face.

Last minute plugging before the class presented their chairs at the monthly Sin City Woodworkers meeting.

Having this much fun in a class ought to be illegal! This group effort was an amazing thing to experience. Not only did they go home with some gorgeous chairs, but they really proved something to themselves about their woodworking skills.

Congrats to everyone on their amazing accomplishment! You should all be quite proud. I know I am!

American Restoration

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:44:00 +0000

My buddy Tom told me the other day that the hit TV show American Restoration is filmed right in my neighborhood. (He was only half right - it was filmed just up the street, but has since moved.) I've never seen the show, so I set the DVR to tape a few episodes.

It's a pretty cool concept, with the guys restoring anything from old candy or coke machines to vintage motorcycles. But I nearly fell off the couch when I saw one of the fellows cutting a 2x4 on the tablesaw like this.

My first thought was - how are you going to restore your teeth if this board you're cutting kicks back and hits you in the mouth!?!

(Hint: when crosscutting, use the mitergauge or a sled.)

World's Worst Ruler

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:36:00 +0000

... no, I'm not talking about Gaddafi, Kim Jong-Il, or Mugabe.

I'm referring to rulers as in - what we use to measure things. Most of the time, I use a wooden rule for measuring things in my shop.

But every now and then, I'll pick up a steel rule like the ones shown below. They're perfect for measuring and marking smaller pieces of wood.

Not too long ago, I bought this one at an art supply store. It looked perfect, and since I already have a 24" rule in the shop, I wanted to add a smaller (12") one.

The only problem? This rule has an 1/8" space on the end, unlike the other rule where the scale begins right at the edge of the metal. (Did that make any sense?)

Every time I use this rule and put it's end flush with the piece of wood I am measuring, I am off by 1/8".

Who the hell would make a steel rule like this?

Oh wait - here is who made it! Nice job, folks!

I may have to take this to my belt sander and sand that extra bit off the end. What's the worst that can happen- I render it useless? It already is!

Speaking of rulers, I bought this one when I was gallery hopping in Asheville. I don't plan on using it, but it sure looks nice sitting on my desk.

Attention to detail

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:28:00 +0000

If I had to pinpoint one thing that separates good woodworkers from great woodworkers, it would be their attention to detail. How much time do they spend prepping their surfaces before applying a finish? Or ensuring that all traces of glue are removed? Or that all their edges are slightly broken, so that there are no sharp corners that can splinter away?

That "good enough" attitude makes a huge difference between being a good or being a great woodworker. Here is a perfect example - I'm building a large mirror frame that will have a small detail of inlaid tile in the top rail.

I'm a big fan of treating the edges with a chamfer bit, but when routing inside corners, you end up with a rounded cut, like the one shown below. The bearing just can't negotiate that tightly into the corner, so the bit stops short of cutting right into the corner. I know a lot of people who would just leave it that way.

Me? I'd lose sleep at night, thinking about it.

I mean - if you're going to have nice crisp edges on the corners, why wouldn't you want crisp inside corners? Hello?

Its hard to see in the photo below, but I drew a line over the area that needed cleaning up.

Then I grabbed a sharp chisel. No, not this one , I just wanted to brag on it. Two inches, baby! Awesome!

We just spent last Saturday sharpening almost every chisel in the shop, so I had a bunch to choose from.

It is easiest to lay the frame down on carpet - people who work in my shop know I'm a freak about placing carpet under whatever I'm working on - but that's because the workbench tops are a little cruel to pristine wood. I'd rather be anal about carpet than scratch whatever piece of wood I'm working on.

Now this cut is a little tricky, you have to hold your chisel at that 45˚ angle, cutting into each corner.

Cut from one direction, and then flip the chisel to the other side and cut from that direction.

Eventually, your two cuts will intersect right into the corner.

And you'll wind up with a crisp corner.

Now don't you think this looks much better than the top photo?

It didn't take more than ten minutes to clean up these four corners, but in my opinion, it makes all the difference in the world.

One potter's passing

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:54:00 +0000

You know what makes me feel good? When people write to ask me what the hell my problem is, and why haven't I blogged lately. In a funny sort of way, it feels good to be missed.

This won't be much of a post, because I'm up to my elbows in work right now. I've got two commissions that are behind schedule and kicking my ass, and a pile of stuff to take care of - so blogging just has to take a back seat for a few more days.

But - here's the scoop, and it makes me almost teary to talk about it...

Yesterday, I bought the entire ceramic studio of a potter that passed away a few years ago. Her studio was like a scene out of a science fiction movie - it was as if she just walked away from everything in the middle of an afternoon of throwing pots. Brushes still in glaze. Pots still wrapped in plastic. Tools still covered in clay. Time stood still.

Her throwing stool makes me want to weep.

Her husband only asked that I take everything. Everything. I think he couldn't bear the thought of going through her stuff. And to tell you the truth, it's very hard on me, too.

So with the help of a couple of friends (thanks Lupe and Dan!), everything was loaded in my van and a trailer. We dropped the kiln off at my school, but almost everything else went to my studio at home, where I could sort through the boxes more slowly.

It took an hour for me to empty only two boxes, sorting everything into piles.

This is going to take days - maybe weeks. And doing this makes me think about my own stuff - what will become of it someday, when I'm gone? I know, that's morbid, but - it is reality.

I don't want to leave you on a sad note, so this should make you laugh. I've been saving up some outtakes from the videos I make. Bloopers. I have a few I'm editing into one video, but this one just cracks me up. If you don't like colorful language, don't watch it. Wuss. (Double click on the video below to watch it full-screen.)

And don't write to me if you think it's bad to post this. Lighten up. Life is short.

Trestle table base

noreply@blogger.com (Wood It Is!) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:20:00 +0000

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about making this Mahogany trestle table base. It was a gorgeous design, and it finally went together this past weekend. I felt like this was a very successful piece - and based on the comments from others wandering through my shop, they did, too.

The table top was a massive lamination - a 2 1/4" thick slab of African Mahogany that the clients procured from someone in their family. Seriously, we could barely move the top from their truck to my workbench.

When making a table base, I always leave easily accessible holes on them, in order to mount the base to the top. In this case, as I was attaching the base to the top, I hit something hard - possibly a piece on metal within the slab. There wasn't any screw that was going to penetrate it!

My clients promised to send a photo of the table, once it is in their home. Photos like that are always great to received - it's nice to know how the pieces I build look in place.

Meanwhile, I liked this design so much, I think I am going to build a similar version for the dining table that I'm building for my home. The ash top - four feet by seven feet - is already made, and I've got some designs rolling around in my brain. This is going to be interesting!