Udi Tirosh over at DIY Photography often has great information.  He says of himself, “I started this site, as an amateur photographer, who needs studio equipment, but can’t always afford to buy the expensive, branded top quality studio stuff that you can find on photo equipment stores. So… I began looking for alternative.”

He recently wrote a great article explaining how he used a single light to create an interesting image.  His inspiration was David Hobby over at Strobist.  I’ve spoken of “The Strobist” before, and hold him in very high esteem.  I encourage you to read Udi’s article.  It reminded me of a little project I made for myself some time ago.  I got my inspiration from Scott Kelby.  Scott wrote about how he used a table napkin to bounce light onto a dish at a restaurant he had visited.  If you read that article, Scott mentions the technique in his response to the question “What’s the secret to getting great food shots?”  Scott did his work with natural light, but somewhere (perhaps also from Scott)  I read about using a similar technique to make the pop-up flash on top of your camera more useful.

Using the on-camea flash and bouncing off white paper.

In the image above I held a white envelope at a 45-degree angle in front of the pop-up flash.  This caused the light to be directed toward a sheet of white paper at camera right.  You can see the reflection on the upper part of the right side of the cup.  Light from there was further reflected off another sheet of paper at camera left, causing that weaker highlight on the left of the mug.  There was some bleed through of light from the flash itself in the center as you can see from the strong highlight there.

It’s interesting to play with things like this because it can make the difference between a snapshot and a really good image when you have no equipment with you.

Please remember that it’s like saying, “Thank you” when you use links on my site to begin your online shopping.

I believe this is because followers of Jesus have real reason for joy. Scripture tells us that “the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” This joy is why we sing.

Steve Martin and a great group of musicians called The Steep Canyon Rangers had this to say on the topic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFWA1A9XFi8

A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide.”

And for plenty of good reasons, since:

1. it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
2. it is a major component in acid rain
3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
4. accidental inhalation can kill you
5. it contributes to erosion
6. it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

• Forty-three (43) said yes,
• six (6) were undecided,
• and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, “How Gullible Are We?”

He feels the conclusion is obvious.

So do I.

Be sure to drop by Marc’s place, and also please remember that beginning your online shopping here at LarryEiss.com is a great way to say “Thank you.”

I saw an article today that has my brain sparkling. Apparently Intel has been doing research in a field called silicon photonics and have a prototype data connection that moves data at 50Gbps–that’s 50 Giga-bits per second.  This is like downloading a feature film in high-definition in one second!  And Intel thinks the technology can be pushed to 1 Tbps–a Tera-bit per second!  That could backup your entire laptop in one second!

This is truly revolutionary.  It’s difficult even to conceive the ramifications such an advance might have.  One thing is sure; it will change the way we think abut and use computers.  Below are links to some articles on the topic.  It’s pretty amazing.

Read Write Web

Softpedia

Intel Labs

The Hardware Demo on YouTube

Intel’s Silicon Photonics Vision on YouTube

My friend received several excellent comments in response.

The incident reminded me of something that’s been bothering me for a while.

A while back I began to notice that very few people actually say “you’re welcome” any more. Instead, it seems that the correct response has become, “no problem.” I’ve worked hard not to let that bother me. After all, in Spanish, the proper response is “de nada”, which literally means, “It’s nothing.” Still in the back of my mind there is a nit I have to pick with this. I can’t help wondering, after I’ve thanked someone for something they’ve done for me, what they might have said if their effort actually had been a problem for them. I mean, is “no problem” something they say only when the effort they put forth was indeed no problem, or would they say that no matter the effort, in the same manner in which I might say, “you’re welcome.”? Honestly, “no problem” just doesn’t seem to me to carry the same value as “you’re welcome.” Am I welcome to your kindness, or is it something I should expect only when it’s “no problem”?

Like some who responded to my friend’s Facebook post, I have noticed that door holding and other such small courtesies seem to have become expected, unimportant, or worse – offensive. Think back on it. When was the last time anyone said “thank you” when you held a door for them at the mall? When was the last time you saw a man open the car door for a woman?

This morning in Penn Station I was approaching an escalator at the same time as an elderly woman and two grown boys. I call them boys because although they had the stature and age of young men, they did not conduct themselves with the grace or maturity requisite to manhood. These boys were a bit behind and off to the side of the elderly woman. I as off to her other side. As she stepped onto the metal landing at the base of the escalator the two boys quickly squeezed around the corner of the escalator and onto a step in front of her. They were close enough that she had to slow her forward motion considerably to avoid bumping into them. The woman was upset (rightfully so in my opinion) and she said a loud, “thank you” to the two boys. I thought that perhaps they had been in a hurry to catch a train and this would startle them into some recognition of their rudeness. On the contrary, they turned and gave the woman a dirty look! I wonder what their mothers would have thought.

Last week my train going home was quite full. Near departure time a woman got on and walked down the aisle to a point very near my seat. I already had a seat-mate, but the gentleman across the aisle and one seat forward did not. He had placed his small bag on the open seat next to him. The woman came to his row and said harshly, “Did you pay for two seats?” Ignoring her crassness, the man dutifully and quietly removed his bag. The woman was not to be satisfied by his gesture, and so rather than thanking the gentleman, she said, “I didn’t think so;” whereupon she proceeded to sit down and remove her shoes.

One of the women who frequently rides the same train I do related a similar experience. When near the end of one of her pregnancies she had to travel by plane. As she approached her seat she found herself unable to left her carry-on bag into the overhead compartment. There were several men seated nearby, and not one offered her assistance. Finally she politely asked one of them if he would help her. She had to ask him twice, the second time with some more forceful explanation of her predicament because the first time all he did was give her a look as if to say, “do it yourself.” Perhaps the man on the airplane had an experience similar to one I had. I reached to open a door for a “lady” one day and she actually chewed me out for it! After that I felt awkward in similar situations.

Is this what we want? It’s sure not what I want.

In my view some of this is fallout from the radical feminism of the ’60s and ’70s. I grew up during that time and observed it happening. The feminist movement did some good things. Women should certainly be paid as well as men when they do work of the same value, for example. Unfortunately, feminism sometimes went much further and demanded that women and men be treated identically. Equality became synonymous with sameness, equivalence, even interchangeability. That’s unfortunate because men and women are different, and I for one am glad of it!

As a group, men are undeniably physically stronger, for example. As a group, women tend to be more nurturing. My wife designs and organizes and navigates. I build, and deal with dying animals, and back up the camping trailer. Each of these things is important, but each of us is better at some than others. That’s the whole reason why marriage and teamwork are so very important.

Don’t bother misreading me. I am not saying that no woman can back up the camper, or deal with dying animals. I am just saying what you know in your heart to be true. Most men are stronger than most women. Women and men are not the same. They are different. Let’s not allow “difference” to come to mean that one is better than the other.

It was a really big deal for me to get one, so I plan to take good care of it. There are several important aspects to saw care, but today I want to talk about maintaining the cast iron top. This applies to band-saws, drill-presses, and jointers as well.

Good maintenance of the cast iron surfaces of these tools makes them easier to use, and safer. The reason for both benefits is the same; the wood slides more freely across a well-maintained top. Free movement without unexpected hitches helps minimize the chance for kickback. Another benefit is the great feeling you get from working with equipment that looks like new. I hate to see rust on my cast iron–does that make me anal-retentive?

When I first got the table saw, I was concerned about how to keep the top rust free. It was in a location where I had to park my tractor with the snowplow attached during the winter. Moisture was a certainty. I read a lot about the topic. Some craftsmen use spray-on products, others endlessly discuss the merits and drawbacks of silicone lubricants. I fall passionately into the “don’t ever use silicone” camp. It leads to finish problems such as orange peeling, which makes dimples or pock marks in your finish.

After thinking a long time about the various ways to maintain my table saw top, I settled upon the use of paste wax. It seems easiest, and it’s very inexpensive. Here is what I do.

First, lower the blade completely and clear everything from the top of your saw. Don’t even think about trying to make it seem like I am the only one who puts things on his saw top. Maybe it’s not on the iron, but you can bet the extension wing has stuff all over it (at least some of the time) in my shop.

Next remove the fence, or at least make sure it is completely out of the way.  While you’re removing things, take out the faceplate and remove your guard, splitter, or riving knife.

Now find your random-orbit sander (ROS) and a 220-grit disc. You can use 150 or anything finer, but I think 220 is a good balance between speed and aggressiveness. Anything more course would feel uncomfortable to me because I don’t like obvious scratches in the top and I sure don’t want to ruin the flatness. Green Scotch-brite pads also work well. These pads are made in round versions to fit a ROS, and in rectangular form for hand use. In practice, you can use any of them with the ROS because the hook-and-loop fasteners on the sander grab the pads very nicely.

Turn on the sander and go to town. If you started with a top that is already darkened by old rust, you might try a courser abrasive, and I suppose it may be impractical to get the top back into like-new condition. Even so, you should find the condition is greatly improved, along with the usability.

My Table Saw Top after Sanding with 220-grit

This is My Bandsaw Top After Sanding

The tops look pretty nice, and it is tempting to go no further.  That would be a big mistake.  The cast iron is at great risk now because you have cleaned off everything that might have been protecting it from rust.  Take it from me.  Cast iron can rust very rapidly.  I have actually watched my saw top rust!

When we first moved to this location I had a need to bring some planks into the shop through one of the big ten-foot overhead doors.  I was in a hurry because it was raining hard and I didn’t want the to be soaked.  What I failed to think about was the fact that it was very cold in the shop and the wet air outside was about 20 degrees warmer than everything inside the shop.  Condensation was immediate and severe.  You may have seen this effect on a cold concrete floor at one time or another.  While I stood there, the cast iron surfaces glazed over with rust.  I tried to dry it with a towel, but all I did was make crazy patterns in the rust.  It was heartbreaking.  Fortunately it turned out not to be too difficult to fix.  It was this experience, however that led me to used the ROS for sanding rather than doing it manually.

The next step is to apply the wax.  One caveat is in order here.  Some wax products have ingredients like silicone in them.  Car waxes often fall into this category.  What you want is old-style floor wax such as Johnson’s Past wax, which is what I use.

Paste Wax Without Silicone or Other Additives is a Must

Find a clean cotton cloth.  I use old tee shirts for this.  Form a bunch like a kind of pad and charge it with wax by rubbing it around in the wax container.  Apply it liberally to the cast iron and your extension wings.  (Note that you can click on these pictures to see them larger.)

Liberal Wax Application

Let the wax sit a while.  Once the wax has begun to dry, use a clean cotton cloth to buff it out.  You can use the same tee shirt you used for application as long as you fold it in such a way as to prevent more wax from being applied.  I also find that I re-fold the tee a few times as I am buffing because it gets gummed up with wax and using a fresh spot works better for buffing.

Here’s the finished surface.

Good as New!

Below are links to help you find the products I use.  It helps me when you begin your online shopping here.

Larry

This is Conrad (or Connie) if you prefer.

Conrad, a Green Cheeked Conure

Among his many interesting exploits, he often accompanies us on long trips.  Conrad has his own Facebook page where he writes about his travels and posts the pictures he requires me to take.

This is one of my favorites.

Conrad being an acrobat.

Conrad rides in the truck with us, and has a great time sleeping on our headrests and making a mess of the interior by spilling water and seeds everywhere, and just by being a bird.  Sometimes he looks in the little mirror on the visor.  I had until recently been unaware, but apparently there’s another Conure in there who Conrad likes to visit on occasion.

During the week of July fourth, Conrad went to our place in West Virginia.  He recently posted on Facebook a few pictures of his exploits in a White Pine tree in the front yard there.  The picture above is one of them.

One of his heroes is a Congo African Grey parrot called Einstein (but not the celebrity one from Animal Planet).  Einstein sometimes says “Look at you, you’re all wet.”  This is one of Conrad’s favorite things about Einstein, as evidenced below.

"Look at you, you're all wet!" -- Einstein Parrot

One thing we learned about Conrad on the last trip was that if you aren’t paying attention and he eats a whole potato chip, he’ll get sick from all the salt and throw up all over the place.  Fortunately we were right there and could give him plenty of fresh water and he was able to sleep for a couple of hours under “mom’s” hair.  Personally, I never knew it was possible for birds to vomit.  If you find yourself in the same sorry state of ignorance; now you know.  They can.

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy meeting Conrad.

Larry

Essentially boiled linseed oil is simply linseed oil with a drying agent added.  It soaks into the wood and brings out the beauty of the grain as only a non-building finish can.  Polyurethane provides better protection from liquids, but it can’t match the grain-popping quality of boiled linseed oil.

Another benefit is that the finish can be reapplied any time.  Since it doesn’t build up on the surface of the wood, its easy to rejuvenate it, should you find it desirable, by simply applying more oil.

Application is easy too.  I like to put the finish into a small jar and use a foam brush to apply it liberally.  I re-apply oil to any places that absorb a lot of it and once the wood is well saturated, I wipe the excess off with a clean cotton cloth–usually an old tee shirt.  Some people like to apply several coats.  Some buff the last coat with four-ought (0000) steel wool.  I personally apply one liberal coat, adding a bit to absorbent areas, wipe it down, and let it dry.

Drying takes a while.  In my experience 24 hours is insufficient for a piece you plan to bring in the house, which is pretty much all of them.  Boiled linseed oil has a distinctive, but not really unpleasant, aroma.  Before it is fully cured, this is much more apparent.  Too much of it may increase household strife, so to speak.  Additionally, the wood will feel a little tacky to the touch for a while.  For sufficient curing, I find that a week is about right, but as they say, your mileage may vary.

It can be important to consider wood species.  Boiled linseed oil works best on darker open-grained woods, such as oak or walnut.  It turns the natural dull brown of walnut into a deeply glowing thing of real beauty that must be seen to be appreciated.  Part of the way it does this is by soaking into the open pores.  That accounts for the “depth” of the glow.  Another aspect of the beauty it yields is that the oil imparts a yellow/orange tint to the wood.  Because of this, boiled linseed oil should be used on light colored woods such as maple only after due consideration of the effect the added color will have.  Test it on a scrap before deciding.

Here is a link to Boiled Linseed Oil on Amazon.com

It helps me when you begin your online shopping from links on my pages.

Some time ago, The Most Wonderful Woman in the World (TMWWitW) decided it would be nice to have an aviary.

In the beginning, TMWWitW selected two Zebra Finches from the local pet store.  Male and female, selected she them.  She prepared for them a garden within which they would have free reign.  And the evening and the morning were the first day. TMWWitW looked upon all that she had created and she saw that it was good.

A tiny home was also among her preparations for the Finches, and in this cozy little home, these two Finches discovered the possibility of procreation.  Before we knew it there were twelve Zebra Finches.

The three little birds that grace this Blog were among them.  This picture was taken after first they fledged.  Any expert will tell you they are young.  This can be determined with certainty by the coloration of their beaks.

I selected this particular image from the many I have taken of these captive subjects birds because in it, the middle bird seems to be protecting the other two and it evokes an emotional response in me.  I think the bars of the prison cage in the back add to the story the picture seems to tell.

I hope you enjoy it.  I’m sure one day I’ll change it.

Larry