BarryW's Blog at LumberJocks.com

James Krenov 1920-2009

BarryW — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:34:17 GMT

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/18761/james-krenov-1920-2009

For those who were lucky enough to study James Krenov’s works, books, videos and interviews…well, when I read his book 30 years ago, it was what interested me in woodworking. And now he’s gone.

California Lumberjocks can help

BarryW — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:19:22 GMT

http://www.puentedelacostasur.org/

A message from people I know on FACEBOOK…

””Kerry Lobel: Puente needs 3 picnic tables & benches. The school reclaimed theirs so Puente participants have no outdoor seating. Write with ideas. Thx.”“

Puente needs the help of someone who can build picnic tables and benches. Kerry is my friend who is involved in building the organization. Here’s her message to me…when I suggested some Lumberjocks might be able to help….

””Re: Picnic tables…outdoor seating…

Cool and thanks. We are in Pescadero on the south coast of San Mateo County, CA south of San Francisco between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. Puente is a rural community resource venture serving 4 towns, 160 square miles.

Thank you!”“

If there are any Lumberjocks with usable reclaimed wood in that area or skills that you know of…this organization needs some picnic tables and benches…the link is for that organization. Thanks from Lumberjock BarryW….I’d help, but I’m in South Dakota!!!

Happy Mother's Day

BarryW — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:00:22 GMT

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Lumberjock Mothers, Mother’s of Lumberjocks, and wives of Lumberjocks who are also Mothers. Your children and grandchildren are a blessing to all who encounter them…and in families where such natural work and hobby occurs as woodworking, you can bet there are wonderful creative moments taking place…because it takes great creativity to be a mother. Thank you for all the children and grandchildren…and thank you to all the mothers who have made our lives richer by allowing their little Lumberjocks the freedom to find their creative center. May god bless all of the Mothers on this and every day.

A tough winter

BarryW — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:03:03 GMT

It’s been a tough winter to get anything done. Mother needs almost constant attention and I just need to be with her all the time. I can’t even use the little video camera I installed to watch her…she’ll not see me and think I’ve gone. Out of sight, out of mind. And she’ll fall at the drop of a hat.
I did find out that the maple I secured about three years ago is HARD MAPLE. Man that’s some hard wood. It might make a good top for a work bench. I’m studying plans on the ‘puter to see what I like best in a workbench. Not that I’m going to be able to do anything, but it’s nice to get some ideas and plans going in my brain.
Also, we lost a baby granddaughter…my oldest daughter’s little girl, Zoe…age 3 days…gone to the ages and back in heaven. Her little brother born under two pounds, Zander, improves, but it seems like quite a fight even now some weeks after birth. Prayers every day. I don’t get along the best with my oldest daughter right now, probably my fault…but she’s including me and her grandmother in her communications. Sometimes, though, it’s best to let the kids fight their own battles and stay out of the fray…or at least not complicate their lives. I certainly don’t want to add to their troubles considering their need to be with their little boy still in hospital and under three pounds….but gaining. This is the real hard, hard wood of life. Even though the grain can be the most beautiful, working the wood can be almost impossible. Love with find a way, I pray.
Yeah, you’re learning nothing about woodworking reading this blog entry…but I needed a place to vent a touch and since I’ve given up my other blog and this is the only place I have to write at length.
I know many of you would be close friends if only we lived closer, etc, but I live a fairly lonely life caring for my elderly mother…I only get out of the house on Wednesdays for four hours with the help of a state grant for respite care. Family won’t help us or me. And most of my local friends are either working when I’m “off” for those four hours. So I see no one and do very little. It’s just a time for me to get out of the house. And while I’ve tried to work in the shop at that time…it’s best for me to just leave and come back four hours later. We’re better off than some in this situation but things are getting tight, tight, tight financially. I can’t imagine what retired people are doing right now. They’re cutting this and that from their budgets….eating poorly. We’re traveling down some bad roads these days and we don’t know the half of it. I’m certain many of you are having difficult times and we don’t hear a peep out of you. You can stay silent…but I have to vent a bit…so sorry for my itch to bitch. Everyone hang in there. We’ll try to do the same here in the Black Hills. Things would be better for me if only I could get into my shop more often…just not possible.
So I envy those who can and who get their frustrations out by doing something creative. I’ve seen some beautiful “frustrations” appear in the projects columns…keep it up.
Best wishes for March and beyond…

500 Days

BarryW — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:27:00 GMT

It’s my 500th day being a part of Lumberjocks…and while a blog entry isn’t the best place to celebrate, why not Ever since I joined Lumberjocks I’ve found something to appreciate…and ever more so now that I need the inspiration to move forward with my shop. Thanks to everyone who posts projects and ideas…you’re helping me refine what I want to do in my shop and what I want to accomplish in the years ahead.

GIVE SO THAT OTHERS MAY BE INSPIRED!

BarryW — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:25:57 GMT

121 woodworkers have donated to this website out of over 6,500 woodworkers who use it. I won’t say it.
As a donor, I know that while my contribution wasn’t large…at least I contributed something. My return to viewing Lumberjocks started about a week ago when I came back to this website after a hiatus from my shop, etc…family needs and such. Again, I was inspried to do something more in my shop from what I saw here. I’m “one-man-power” and not perfect since I also have to take care of the house and my elderly mother’s need. But the inspriation from Lumberjocks gave me a kick in the ass to do something more in my shop. Thanks everybody!
So I’m finally building the wood storage system I’ve had planned for a year or more. And….I disassembled the used lathe I bought at a garage sale in order to refurbish it’s partially rusted stand. For me, that’s getting something done. The inspiration came from looking over this website…again. More than anything I’d like to post some beautiful projects as many of you have done…just putting my shop in order has been my project.
Well, I have to have the wood storage since I scored the maple tree three years ago….the 8/4 flitches are dry and ready to use. And soon…in another 6 months, I’ll have 5/4 elm dry and ready to use….with 8/4 flitches on the way to being dry. Gosh, do you think I ought to have a good workbench? from maple and elm? Could be beautiful. Or should I use some other woods? At my speed it’ll take two years just to make the workbench…well, maybe not…but with so many inspiring workbenches pictured on this website it might take me alot less time. That’s why I’m pitching ya’ll to dig in your pockets and toss a few bucks at this website. I’d like it to be here in a few more years to keep inspring me day after day. Thanks.

Lumberjocks: what a bargain!!! DONATE!

BarryW — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:53:28 GMT

All my life I wanted to work with wood. But no, I did other work to please people who had other ideas for me.
There was even a time I had a great start on a shop complete with 16 inch jointer…20 plus year ago. Not until the last 3 years have I realized what I’ve wanted to do…what I’ve always enjoyed all my life…making useful and beautiful things from wood.
My education prepared me for a career in radio. A B.A. from a respected university with a solid broadcasting program…Washington State University where Edward R. Murrow graduated from many years earlier. And yet, from the time I was in high school I’ve enjoy working with my hands…making things of one kind or another.
Nope, says my Dad…nope, says my Mom…gotta do this or that to make a living. Torn between two people and a few dozen others. Now don’t get me wrong. I learned alot about people and life in the other things I did over the years. And that knowledge has been important.
But… I never went to trade school or spent time learning much about what I thought I deep, down would enjoy doing for a living.
Years ago, I picked up a great book at the library that just screamed at me from the shelves. A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook by James Krenov. I can’t tell you how many times I went to the library to check it out. Dozens. Or I’d have it extended. Today I own a copy and a number of other books on woodworking by this or that woodworker. Nothing pleases me more than to go through a book…like last night I was reading a book on shop jigs…planning another phase of jig making. But I also spent time looking around the Internet…primarily here at Lumberjocks for a jig to saw lumber from logs on my bandsaw.
Now what would it have cost me to travel to snowdog or Bob #2’s places to see what they were doing
with log sawing jigs for bandsaws. Or what would it have cost me to travel to see all the crosscut sleds I’ve looked at on this website to help me build mine. Gas, motel or camping, food, etc…provided I had the time…and thousands of dollars.
But how would I have met them in the first place? I wouldn’t have. I’d have asked from town to town about people who were working in wood. I’d have become a vagabond with no money…not able to care for my family…like I am now caring for my elderly mother. Lumberjocks has saved me thousands of dollars on books I might have purchased to learn something or see something. Lumberjocks has also given me a greater sense of confidence. Oh sure, I built the interior of a retail store and all the fixtures in the late 70’s…but I enjoyed that more than running the retail store I had. I went broke in retail. I hated it and went back into broadcasting for a number of years. Being a member of Lumberjocks in the last few months has given me something I just haven’t quite been able to put my finger on…a sense of self-worth? Maybe. So when the other Bob asked me to make a donation…well…it was obvious. A few bucks not spent on something else for a month were better spent going to Lumberjocks. So I donated last night. And surprise, I feel much better even today.
The world is changing today…very rapidly. Gone are the times when we could thumb our way around the country gleaning knowledge from the local artisan. The price of energy…the price of food…all contributing to changing the way we live completely. Communications have changed. Radio is is a world of hurt, in my opinion. Newspapers are suffering a huge loss in revenue now. But with the Internet…and the people I can meet here and other places…though this is a pretty good spot for me right now….I can create my own education even at this time in my life.
So, here’s my plea…donate to Lumberjocks like I have. Fewer than 100 of the members…or so it was earlier today…out of over 4000 have given a few bucks. The value of this knowledge is priceless. And yes, I wish I could have given more…and maybe I will one day…but I did donate. I gave $25 bucks. Could you give $25 a year? What a bargain for the pictures…the information…the advice…the friendship. I spent $25 at the hardware store last Wednesday on things I won’t use for two months…how crazy is that? So, give a few bucks if you can. I’m giving up my breakfast at a restaurant on Wednesdays, my only day out a week, to do this…and it’s such a bargain…and I don’t need the chicken fried steak, if you took a look at my gut.
A man is advertising once said to me that if you can’t say it in 30 seconds it can’t be said. Well, this took a little longer for you to read and me to write. The short version? Donate to Lumberjocks...it’ll save you from making the wrong cut, the wrong finish, the wrong decision somewhere down the line…and save you thousands of dollars in travel to glean the information. Give.

Crosscutus Sledi: specious genius

BarryW — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:16:39 GMT

Ye of little faith. How is it possible to create a crosscut sled for a Craftman “professional” portable tablesaw?
First, I’m not liking the fact Craftman called it a “professional” model since one has so many things to tighten and adjust to make it comfortably accurate. And then the two grooves are on just one side of the blade where on most “professional” models there is a machined groove on either side of the blade. So one has to put two runners for a crosscut sled on the one side and possibly, just possibly put a runner (where there’s no place for a runner) on the other side…but this picture doesn’t show that…partly because I’m still thinking about adding that runner. The $499 table saw has become a huge headache in the accuracy department…but perhaps this sled will work to make it so.
Yeah, I wish I had a pocket full of cash and the space for a large table saw…a table saw worth somewhere between $1600 and $2500? say. Oh, that I could saw…er…say. But one makes due on limited budgets when one’s cash has run out. So anyway, the challenge of making an accurate sled for such a table saw. I might add that the grooves are not machined…they are stamped. Ugh. So one has to sand the runners and wax the grooves to make the sled slide smoothly. So far so good. It’s a work in progress. (If you’ve seen one sled you’ve seen them all?) Lord, let my crosscut sled not be boring. The picture will provide the next 1,000 words:

Creating Router Support: first use of D4R Leigh jig with VRS

BarryW — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:29:33 GMT

Here’s my first use of my D4R Leigh Dovetail Jig with VRS router support and vacuum connection. I must say it’s a little more complicated than I thought it would be at first and I’m not certain how I’ll adjust for other thicknesses of wood other than 3/4 at the moment…but I suspect that as I use it I’ll test and try to do things in a new way. I still have some adjusting since I had trouble with the VRS router support/vacuum connection. It wasn’t as smooth as I thought it would be and it also gave me a bit of trouble with light. It shades the work area and makes it tougher to see where I was routing. I may have to add more light to my project area…or at least different sources of light so that I can see what I’m doing a little better. I kept forgetting to turn on the vac so in one spot on the video you can see wood chips blowing around. I did learn some things about this jig…and how the pins and tails are created…mine were long on both accounts. That’s an adjustment of the depth of cut. I need to make certain that the router blade just touches my pencil mark or is a little above it….rather than splitting the pencil mark as suggested in Leigh’s DVD movie. There’s some serious trial and error here. At one point making the pins, I believe, I had to adjust for the second set and they came out a bit shorter than the first set…much better.

Piano Key Box...huh? #1: Disassembly of piano and idea

BarryW — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:14:55 GMT

When I picked up the old upright piano from a lady up in Deadwood some months back I promised her I’d make something out of the old thing for her. Sheesh….months of disassembling an old piano whose soundboard is cracked…the tuning pegs can’t hold a tune….most folks would toss the old piano out at the dump. Not BarryW….I have to disassemble this piano piece by piece. Some time ago I blogged about using the bottom half of the piano for a workbench support. I’m not there yet…but getting there. Yesterday and today, I have been disassembling the keys. Aren’t they just wood? No…there’s some lead weights…alot actually. I removed all of them from the individual keys to make a little container full of lead. They’ll come in handy casting balls for my .50 caliber black powder rifle and my .44 caliber 1858 New Army pistol. Okay, the keys…so they’re not more than an inch and a quarter wide. After bandsawing the curved ends…and removing the pin supports, I’m going to glue these “slats” together to make sides of a box. Alot of work for not much…and then I’m going to cover the box in either the white and black key tops or…or…the birdseye maple veneer found on the inside of the piano. Recycling it. That sounds pretty, too.
Yeah, way too much work for a simple box…but I’m a glutton for punishment. Pictures coming up in part two. I will mention that I have alot of nice screws, hinges, pins, etc from disassembling the piano. Gazillions of pieces of this and that. I’ll make use of them someplace.