This turned out to be Andrew’s project with some help from dad.  He got to add another tool to his list of tools he can use, the band saw.  At first he was not sure, but then once he saw me using it, he decided to try it.  Now he loves it.

We decided to build one chair first to see how it goes and then dive in to build more after we learn the in’s and out’s.  That was a good idea, because as I said earlier, the plans were a bit lacking.   The end product looks really good and is very comfortable.  I am sure that after the move, we will be making a few more of these chairs.

Project Details

• Plans from Fine Woodworking
• Lumber Ceder – Dimensional Lumber purchased at Home Depot
• Cost – @ $90.00 for materials
• Hours – 12 including teaching

Steven

As of late last week we started taking down the current shop.  It was in desperate need of a good cleaning anyway.  For the next couple of weeks we will be packing up the rest of the house in preparation for the move.  So needless to say for the next several weeks there will be little to no actual woodworking going on.   One of the first projects in the new house will be to get the shop insulated and heated for the winter.    Why the first project, because there is a long list of furniture projects stacking up to keep me busy over the winter.  So the project for the month of October will be to set up shop.  I will post pictures of the new shop and the progress I make on it as I go along.

Thanks again for keeping up with my exploits and look for posts to come out on a more regular bases starting this week.

Steven

I also would suggest that anyone who will be turning with kids use a Safety Center.  This is basically  a dead center that grips the wood in a manor that allows it to slip if a tool gets caught or a finger is pinched between the tool rest and the wood.  You can adjust the amount of slippage by how much pressure you put on the tail stock.  Oneway makes a very good one that I highly recommend and you can find it on Alan Lacer’s website for a good price.  I purchased one similar from Woodcraft that is a little different but does the same job.

Always suppervise your kids as they are turning.  Never allow them to wear lose clothing, jewelry, and make sure their hair is tied up and out of the way.  Make sure to go over how the tools work and all the safety issues of the tool with your kids.  Always, Always wear eye protection and most of all have fun.

1. Work with my son on learning wood turning.
2. Organize and build storage for my wood turning tools.
3. Actually turn a bowel or two and maybe some new tool handles.

I am already having a blast with this challenge.  Drew, my son, is really good at turning.  He has an eye for it and the focus.  We have already turned a couple of Ice Cream Scoops, and some screw drivers.  We have attempted several honey dippers, but every time something has gone wrong.  We’ll keep trying though and eventually we will make it work.

Items the iPhone has replaced
Cell Phone – This one is a no brainer.  It is after all supposed to be a cell phone.
iPod -  Like many I used to carry around both a classic iPod and a Cell Phone.
Watch – This one snuck up on me.  About a year ago, my watch broke and I needed to replace it.  As I am pretty particular about my watches for some reason, it was taking a long time for me to find a replacement.  In the mean time I was using the iPhone as a time keeper.  After a while I noticed that I liked not looking at my watch all the time to see what time it was.  Instead, I would keep doing what I was doing and when I really needed to know the time, I would pull the iPhone out.  About four months ago, I decided I did not need to replace my watch.  I have not looked back since.

Alarm Clock – Since most of the time the iPhone was the last thing I checked at night and the first thing I used in the morning, I decided to put a charger by my bed.  That way every night I could recharge the iphone.  Since it was their and I like the sounds on my phone better then my bedside alarm clock, I started using my iPhone as my alarm clock.  It is really nice to have multiple alarms set up on a schedule.  No more forgetting to set the alarm or change the time.  Now when I travel I use it instead of a wake up call and my wife still has the bedside clock to use at home.

Casual Web Surfing Device – When I just wanted to surf the web, I would pull out the MacBook Pro, stretch the power cable across the room and sit on the couch to watch TV and surf the web.  Now all I have to do is reach in my pocket and start surfing.  If I am doing work or have a lot of hardcore internet to do, I still go for the MacBook Pro, but I find that I am using the iPhone more and more.

Pocket Camera – With the new 3GS I find that a majority of my picture taking needs are filled with the iPhone.  I still have the DSLR  for photography, but snapshots are covered by the iPhone.  As they say the best camera is the camera you have with you, so now I always have a camera with me.

Pocket Video Camera – When our second son was born about a year ago, we bought a Flip Video Camera.  We loved the fact that it was small and simple, which meant it would be used.  It was to some extent, but we still had to have it with us.  No with video on the 3GS we have video with us all the time.  Yet another device that does not have to be charged and carried around with us.

Ways it has improved what I do:
Weather – When you think about it, it is amazing how often we ask or wonder what the weather is going to be like.  I find that I use a weather app on the iPhone at least once a day.   I love having a weather radar in my pocket all the time.

Started to use Twitter - Twitter never made since to me, but I find having a twitter client on my iPhone causes me to use it more and as a result get more out of it.

Email all the time – This may be a bad thing, but you do have access to email all the time.  The Jury is still out on if this is good or bad.

Low cost app fix – I am a Mac junky and I find myself at times needing to buy something new for a quick fix for my problem.  With the iTunes App store life has gotten a lot cheaper for me.  Now when I need to scratch that itch, most of the time I can find an iPhone app for free or about a buck.  It’s great.
EBook Reader – This is a big thing for me.  I love books and I will take them any way I can get them.  I love the fact that I can preview a book and then if I like it I can buy it and have it on my iPhone in a matter of minutes.  I also find that I can read a book on the iPhone in bed and not bother my wife with lights on in the bedroom.

Time Waster – I have never been a big game player because I found it just a waste of time.  But that was because you had to be deliberate with it, by setting down at a computer and do it.  With the iPhone if I am standing in line or if I have a few minutes to wait for some reason, I can pull out the iPhone and play a quick game, read a chapter, check on the weather or the news, or read a blog.

There is a lot more to the list, such as Google Maps, GPS, GeoCaching, and many more that I just don’t have time to write about.  So looking at all this a feel a lot better about what it costs.  Don’t get me wrong, I think ATT is getting away with robbery, but what I get with the iPhone makes it a litter easier to take.

Here are my most used apps:
Accuweather
Things
Fring
Google Reader
Tweetie
Evernote
GeoCaching
Camera
Mail
Kindle for iPhone
App Store
iDisk
Google Maps

With this new found wealth of information I am primed and ready to go.  Let’s get this done!

I am a big believer in hands on learning.  I have read a lot of woodworking books in my time, but nothing beats working with a person who does it day in and day out.  There are so many little tricks of the trade that can be passed on only when you are doing it hands on with an instructor.  Marcs staff and instructors are the best of the best.  That doesn’t mean that he just hires big names.  It is not enough to be good, you also have to be a good instructor.  Afterall, that is what the school is for.  So his instructors are not only the best at what they do, but they are also very good at passing on their knowledge in an understandable way.

If you really want to increase your skill level, I highly recommend taking a class.  If you are going to take the time and expense to take a class you should only go with the best and after seven classes with Marc, I would say that the Marc Adams School of Woodworking is the best.

The middle post is all milled and ready to go.  The four sets of legs are ready for glue up and then shaping.  The top is also ready for glue up.  I have made a little change to the design and I will be using Festool Dominos instead of dowels  in the legs.  I will still use the doweles for the decorative parts.

I will be on Vacation for the next week, but I will plan on getting back at it on my return.

All in all, the 12 n 12 Challange is working for me.  It is getting me out in the shop and making sawdust.  I figure as long as I am out there working the schedule is not as important as long as progress is being made.  I still plan on completing 12 projects in one year.

Look for more next week when I return.

The night started off with another unexpected hurdle. I pulled out the Jointer and Planner to mill the wood and found that the Jointer’s bed had a lot of rust on it. So the first order of business was to tune up the Jointer. I took mineral spirits and steel wool to it to clean the bed and fence. I checked the alignment of all the blades, table and Fence and then set up the portable dust collection system.

Once all was set up, I cut the rough wood to length, and then squared the wood. Once I was through with the Jointer and Planner, I moved into the back shop to dimension the wood on the saw table.

By the end of the night, I had all the wood for the base milled and sized. Next up, I will move on to making the templates. More to come.

Wood Cut to Length for milling

Joiner and Planner ready for action

Sized and Milled wood for base

Raw wood