440 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
33 comments »
This blog entry today is somewhat woodworking related, and the content has mostly been provided by my daughter Rachel, a student of woodworking, at least in the way I do woodworking.
She’s been hanging out in the shop all afternoon since the grade school decided to call off school today because the Cottonwood River was up so high, cutting off roads around the County today. I’m enjoying her presence in the shop, but I hope the water is down tomorrow so she can learn something w...
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317 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
30 comments »
There is an ongoing debate about whether Lumberjocks should be the focus of a marketing plan by professional woodworkers. There are quite a few professionals on this site now, all of us trying to make a living.
I define “professional” as someone that makes all, or most of their income from their woodworking and craft work. Selling something once in a while from your hobby work really has nothing in common with “having” to sell something every day to buy food and s...
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486 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
27 comments »
(I haven’t done this style of blogging for awhile. With so many new LJ’ers now on this website, I’ve figured most of us don’t want to see these long-winded-folksy style, non-woodworking, rambling, style blogs anymore. But, this is a story about “Hot Air”, so I’ll let a bunch out along with the photos.)
This blog could easily be subtitled: ”Facing Your Fears with Hot Air.”Read on further to find out why.
July 29th, 2008:
I wa...
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843 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
26 comments »
I was out in the yard planting two little maple trees and the “wife” called from the house, “Phone call, come in the house, it’s Joel Tille from Iowa.” Now, normally, when I am a hundred yards from the house, covered in dirt and sweat and planting trees, and the root ball is laying on the ground rapidly drying out, I would just say, “take a message.”
But, “wife” has learned a few things in 15 years of marriage, namely, because she told...
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935 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
25 comments »
I am so excited this morning. Why you ask?
I’m complete with the St. Anthony Church Side Altar commission project. I have more work to do on other pieces for the church by the end of the month. So, there isn’t much time to take a breath yet, but the completion of the Side Altars is a huge milestone for me, and my woodworking career.
To be honest, there were some times that I wondered if I would ever get all of the details of these Altars complete. Total working time is a...
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437 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
24 comments »
With all of the “Hoopla” associated with my recent blog, and Quixote's Project posting on the subject, I just about had to submit and build the toy for her.
After all, using the thorough 2-Step plans she provided, how hard could it be?
Well, just count all of the Steps I used, and add up the dollar amount of all of the tools I used in the process, and it’s a pretty daunting little project, for a fact. Sure, buying a plastic ring at the big department store would be ch...
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810 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
24 comments »
I took most of the day of today and traveled to Hutchinson, KS to see the exhibits and check on my entries. This was the first time I have had anything entered in the Fair since my old 4-H days, which ended many years ago.
My 2007 Kansas State Fair Fine-Art entries are:Walnut Rocking Chair, in “Woodworking” http://lumberjocks.com/projects/84
Sculpted Walking Cane, in “Misc. Carving, walking canes, etc.” http://lumberjocks.com/projects/268
Kansa Indian-Inspire...
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779 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
23 comments »
Over the past few years, I have had the chance to build my own door handles out of copper for several commissioned art-furniture pieces. This is something I enjoy doing, and it gives my work another niche to offer.
I would not say that I am a coppersmith, as there is a lot that I don’t know about the process. I am almost completely self-taught, so there is bound to be a lot I haven’t learned yet. I bought two old reprinted books on the subject of coppersmithing, and I think ...
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718 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
22 comments »
Debbie asked about some photos of the ice storm. So, I made it out to the mailbox, and took photos on the way back carrying the mail. Isn’t it amazing, the mail delivery guy never missed a day!
- – - – - – - – - – -—- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – Coming in the Driveway in front, this is our mailbox, obviously.
- &#...
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786 days ago
by Mark A. DeCou |
22 comments »
Several have asked about what I am working on now, so I thought I would take a minute and post some progress photos.
My current work is a Kitchen Shelving and Desk system in Birch to match the styling of the exisiting cabinets built in the early 1960’s. Seemed like a fairly straight forward project for a past customer, and I like working for them. They “discovered” me, and that “Rates” in my book, regardless of what they want me to do.
During the planning...
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