This week’s visit is to Blake's shop in Santa Cruz, CA. Blake is a part-time firefighter and student, who eventually wants to fight fire full-time. He has been a member for only twenty days, but burst on the LJ scene with his claw box challenge, and has been active in posting boxes, jigs and blog topics since signing on.
He has a great shop with a host of good tools, some new and some handed down from his Father-In-Law. And he has posted the rehabilitation of a 1959 Dewalt Radial Arm Saw, made in the era of indestructible powder coated tool cabinets.
Here is Deb, pointing out a major safety item, the ambient dust filtration system mounted to the ceiling of the shop.
He has a photo in his workshop photos in full gear: dust mask, goggles, muffs and apron. I’ll bet he wears them when they are called for rather than letting them hold down nails in the wall (I am guilty of this).
With her usual attention to detail, Deb takes look at Blake’s TS, planer, jointer configuration. I look forward to seeing some marquetry down the road. Look over in the corner at the nice scroll saw… There is a hollow chisel mortiser waiting to perform as well. And he has a fold-down incra jig on his router table. That is a great innovation/storage solution I’ll have to investigate on my next router table incarnation.
With a parting shot Deb reminds us of the important use of safety equipment in the shop, as well as pointing out the micro-splitter and thin-strip ripping jig on Blake’s TS.
The shop is a winner. Thanks for some fresh takes and some great projects Blake. You’re a natural for Lumberjocks (as well as a great Boxhound).
Go get that certificate
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
10 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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14858 posts in 2389 days
#1 posted 2024 days ago
Great looking shop! I’m envious, as usual. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Bob #2
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3808 posts in 2192 days
#2 posted 2024 days ago
Nice shop but really Doug- yer jokin with me now aren’t you?
”Here is Deb, pointing out a major safety item, the ambient dust filtration system mounted to the ceiling of the shop.”
Did you know that these little boxes serve to keep the dust in circulation?
LOL
Bob
-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner
Blake
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3421 posts in 2045 days
#3 posted 2024 days ago
I enjoyed your visit Deb, come back any time!
When it gets really dusty in my shop, such as after resawing with my bandsaw, I turn the Jet on full blast and go sit outside for a few minutes to enjoy the view. When I come back the air is significantly cleaner. I think the key is keeping the shop clean in the first place, because if there is dust sitting around on all of the surfaces, the Jet will blow it around and into the air.
About once a month I put on the mask, vacuume as much dust as I can off everything, and then crank up the Jet, and blow the rest of the dust off of all the surfaces with compressed air. This gets it up into the air where the Jet can filter it.
This only works by limiting the dust in the first place with at-the-machine dust collection.
-- Happy woodworking! http://www.blakeweber.us
Karson
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34370 posts in 2571 days
#4 posted 2024 days ago
Great show Blake.
Thanks Debbie and Douglas.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
RAH
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414 posts in 2048 days
#5 posted 2024 days ago
Very nice shop Blake, are those Redwood trees outside the window, are you in Santa Cruz city or in the mountains? I haven’t been around the redwoods and ferns for along time.
-- Ron Central, CA
Dorje
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1761 posts in 2168 days
#6 posted 2024 days ago
Never know what Douglas and Debbie will turn up -
you done well Blake!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
MsDebbieP
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18320 posts in 2331 days
#7 posted 2024 days ago
It was a great tour and an easy inspection.
I’m sorry that I didn’t have time for a mini-lesson on that scroll saw.
(Thanks for not turning that Jet on while I was in the room :) )
Congrats on the pass
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Thos. Angle
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4400 posts in 2133 days
#8 posted 2023 days ago
Way to go,Blake!! Great job Douglas and Debbie. Dynamite comes in small packages.
-- Thos. Angle, Jordan Valley, Oregon
Dadoo
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1763 posts in 2161 days
#9 posted 1995 days ago
I must’ve been asleep and missed this altogether! Eventually though I do catch up. Nice shop Blake!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
WayneC
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9596 posts in 2268 days
#10 posted 1995 days ago
Great shop Blake. Thanks for opening it up for inspection.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
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