LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Alaska Jim's Comments of the Day

70K views 580 replies 67 participants last post by  jbertelson 
#1 ·
My Namesake Grandson, a little Sketchup, and some Shop Stuff

It's been a good Christmas weekend at the Bertelson's in Anchorage AK. We had a an enjoyable Christmas day, with family present for the annual Christmas Day Dinner, got some great gifts, and I finally saw my namesake for the first time in pictures, named James EagleBear Shirk. Third child, for Anthea and Marcus Shirk, Fairbanks, AK, so they weren't johnny on the spot with pictures, gets to be ho ho hum after awhile (-: .

Fairbanks is an uncomfortable distance away, not much 4-lane highway, maybe 40 miles, so the 358 miles going straight north is not a winter drive to be taken lightly. Air travel is down right expensive from city to city in Alaska. So we will bide our time and see James EagleBear in a month or so. We did see James at Thanksgiving, I did some 4D ultrasound on him at the office, not quite ready to be out in the cold world yet.

OK, what is with the EagleBear middle name. That is Marcus's oldest sister's name, and he thought it would be fitting and I think so too.

Here is James:



Handsome, as is fitting for my namesake….....(-:

Have talked to 3 of my children, one to go before the weekend is out. I can see what is going to happen in future holidays, I got a preview on Christmas day. Sherie, many of you know that is my wife, has a brother in Dallas, we traveled to Oregon in September with him this year for two weeks, and he was with us for 2 weeks in England and Scotland a few years ago. Well, he was present for the occasion on Skype, there for opening presents. I cannot guess what will happen when all the kids get into it.

Had a great session with DaveR and Sketchup on GoToMeeting and Skype. Dave is a whiz with this program and a natural at teaching. His dedication to helping us all out is, well, unreal.

Thanks Dave from me and everyone else on LJ's, you are a great resource and an even better friend.

A little shop time, this afternoon. Had to make a box for the now, perhaps, infamous remote oven thermometer. With its probe wire, transmitter, and remote, it was going to be a project to keep together and undamaged. So I made a box, will put the plexiglass top on it tomorrow, and then finish it with….................WATCO, what else, but perhaps a little lighter variety than my Black Walnut stuff for the shop.

Take care, best to you and yours for the holidays….........................
 
See less See more
1
#289 ·
More progress on the Crosscut Sled, a Travel Stop

Quite awhile ago I decided that a sled should have not only a bury block for the blade, but a limiter so that the sled could not go beyond that block. This is not a novel concept. Others, including Niki have done it. That I discovered after making my own decision.

But my sled has an unusual future, it has to fit smoothly into a sled garage in the outfeed table, and then disappear…....another item on my todo list…..........

So the sled travel stop had to be removable. Niki had a stop he just swiviled at the edge of the sled, but my sled does not fit the confines of my saw table top. Most crosscut occurs on my RAS, dedicated to the task. But my sled needs to be large, to take care of the situations the RAS cannot handle, a crosscut over 15 inches, and increased width. So I made an easily disabled stop, so that it wouldn't protrude when I stored the sled.

I digress, in a minor fashion:

I found one glitch with my bury block, it was a fraction of an inch short, or really, too high. So I added an addition to the sled base just under the bury block….......



That is important, because at the stop position I selected, when the blade is at maximum height cutting an item needing that height….....that should be the limit of the travel of the sled. And the blade should not protrude anywhere. So the little addition to the base solved the problem.

Back to the stop, I needed it to be disabled when I stored the sled, meaning, nothing jutting below the bottom surface of the sled base, I think, for obvious reasons. Can't have some big bumpy down there increasing the height of the sled garage, or making the travel uneven and unsmooooooooooooth. And I wanted to be sure I knew that the stop was engaged, with a glance.

So here is the disabled view of my stop.........



......the sled is beyond the stop block, and the stop has been placed upside down in its disabled position. You see red…............

And here is the enabled view of the stop..............



........the sled has not reached the stop point, and the stop has been placed in its usual position, and you see green.

And here you see beneath the scenes, with the stop in its usual position, and the stop block on the saw table is apparent, the groove in the stop block, exactly mirrors the stop, to make the stop solid and so there are no unusual forces............



Finally, here is the stop, engaged with the stop block..........



The stop point is solid and unequivocal.

Now I would like to say this is all wonderful, but let me tell you, it is hard to make big holes with a forstner bit and a hand drill in plywood, and I have a real brute of a hand drill. I wish this would have been easy to manipulate to my drill press.

Well it works, but the holes ain't perfect. But….....IT WORKS FLAWLESSLY…....even if you can't see the flaws….so I guess it is unimportant…........(-:

A revisit or two….............

.........the measurement tote….....filled to the brim and used constantly….........in this project and all others…......



......and here is the sled with its T-track atop the fence waiting for the stop block system…....now that is a whole new story, and my Incra 18 inch precision measurement tools on the sled........also used constantly…...



....see the review by GaryK for the 12 inch set, because that's why I bought it.....

Review

......so that's where I am. Got a few things done this weekend even though I was working. And also, I have most of the router table mods done too….......

Later…....

Thanks for viewing….

Jim
 
#304 ·
Quick and Dirty Mod for my Cheapo Router Table.........but not quick and dirty enuf......

Spent a lot of time yesterday and today, just making my old cheapo router table that I bought long ago, Vermont American, fit my new router. It fit it fine, except, the only way to get the motor in and out was to remove the table from the base, the legs were not high enuf. I could change bits above the table, adjust the height of the bit from above the table, things I never expected when I bought this emergency rotor replacement, although I did a lot of research in a couple hours deciding which router to get. I got the Bosch 1617 EVSPK. Dyanamite router kit, with both fixed and plunge bases. The fixed one is for the table, which I think is the reverse of the usual. In any case the whole kit is a delight. Quality stuff and top rated, ain't the internet great?..........(-:

...........but even from the reviews, I didn't understand that I could change bits above the table, and set the height above the table….....those features were recent additions.

Another issue, the router table did not have good dust collection, so might as well fix that while I was at it.

Made a SketchUp Plan, measured everything in detail so that the new wood parts would fit the metal table top.

So, planning to put a router table in my TS cabinet extension as the long range and quality solution, this was suppose to be quick and dirty. Somehow it is taking me awhile. I will dwell more on that tomorrow, but today, I will just give some background.

This is especially for DennisGrosen…..who likes picture books….........for you Dennis…..........(-:

This is the parts to the table, I cut them out on my yet to be completed sled. I need a functioning router table to complete the sled miter arms, and some other gizmos for the sled…............



I am using some old warped plywood, might as well get rid of it on this quick and dirty project.......it doesn't have to last for long, maybe 6 to 18 months at most.

Decided to put the switch for the router, and the plug in strip in the door. There wasn't much other room in front, where I thought the switch ought to be.

Cut out the window with my scroll saw. Then I routed out the section for the bracket for the plug in strip freehand, worked pretty good. Squared up the corners with a chisel….....pretty standard stuff. Set back the strip about 1/4 inch to give enuf wood to mount it on.



And here is the plug in strip sitting in its place…............



..........the router table top from the bottom, with the fixed base attached, and the extensions now separated…....



... and here is what I used as a router table to round the edges of things, since sharp edges are hard on my arms and hands, an old persons problem…..........the B&D work table is 30 years old, but still comes in to use now and then….....


Here is an old project, my benchtop downdraft table in use, with my old Hitachi orbital sander, and the door to the router table on the way, sitting on Bench Cookies from Rockler, a great combo with my downdraft table.......



So a lot more tomorrow, I have glued up and finished the mod, and I am part way throught the electrical, a whole new story….........

..........this is not quick and dirty enough…..........
 
#305 ·
Looks good Jim. I have a relatively new Work Mate B&D folding bench a got about 5 years ago. It was the display model and the last one on hand at my local home improvement center. I was super lucky and got it for 1/3 the usual price. What a deal! Also in spite of having a well equipped shop I have used it often for outdoor and away from home projects and it even comes in handy in in the shop occasionally.

I'm glad your happy with your new router. That model has had many positive reviews and with table height adjustment it can't be beat.

I haven't tried it yet, but it seems to me that the B&D bench might be good for some types of hand held routing. A board could be placed between and level with the top surface of the jaws which would leave a nice surface on either side of the router to run on.
 
#308 ·
Dick
Can't remember when I bought the router table, maybe 15 years ago, and didn't use it much until recently. But it set up well with a couple of clamps in the Work Mate. The top is press fit to the new frame, which will have good dust collection. All I have to do is put in a few screws to hold it on. But I should have pictures before the day is out. I did not intend to put this much work into it, but I had to sand it because my arms and back of my hands bruise easily when hitting sharp surfaces. Oh well, I suspect it will get a lot of use.
 
#313 ·
Done with the Router Table Mod...Dirty, but NOT QUICK. LJ's is to blame.....SHAME!.....

So I put the hunk of junk together…..warped plywood…....trying to get rid of it…..using an old not so great, but OK table top from my Vermont American Router Table, maybe 15 years old, not used much but serviceable. How did I get here, I don't think it is my fault. Much too much time expended, dirty but not quick. I excelled at QUICK and DIRTY for years…....well that is another blog entry…..serious stuff…....

So to the table, the basics I covered yesterday….....my new emergency purchase Bosch 1617 EVSPK kit does not fit because the legs are too short, and I needed better dust control, so built a new frame for the old Vermont American table top. I have above table bit change, and above table height control, pretty fabulous, considering I didn't know that's what I was buying, and that the old Vermont American came predrilled for the above table height control. Kinda a space and time warp…....old table, with a router not advertised for the features, fitting perfectly together.

Now this was a QUICK AND DIRTY, I think I am going to put a router table in my TS extension. 3 to 18 months down the pike…...wasn't that precise…....(-:

So this blog entry is just about the completed table, total overkill for a Q&D, and for that I apologize….)-:

.......first the process, it is always about the process…..that's what I enjoy….......

Here is old Tommy Tote, upteen years old, designed with an electrical bent, doing that, smiling, singing, doing what he likes to do…..............



Notice the soldering iron in the right upper corner of the table, instructions for the switch-outlet combo I was using, all the tools from Tommy scattered about. Everything I needed was in Tommy, wire nuts, screws, soldering stuff, etc. Tommy seemed comfortable, you know Spring is coming, he was really upbeat.

Well, I finished the table mod….........

Here it is from the front…..



.....and from the back….note the dust port at the side leading to the DC, and the one at the back going up to the fence collector interface…...



With the door open, the door has a brass bullet catch on it, and there is some stuff in there….......



And here you can see the permanent worklight, LED so it is cool, illuminating the space, doesn't every router table have a permanent worklight in it?



On the other side a tube to store the excess cord from the router….......



.......the tube came from a Rockler T-track package, both ends are open for dust relief, just stuff the cord in for control….ain't that sweet…....Doesn't every router table have a cord storage tube?.........(-:

.......so the dust control is great, but a few flakes of sawdust escape when doing a dado, otherwise a neat deal.

The cord is 10 feet long, no extension cord needed, goes out the back, 14 AWG. Have a safety ON-OFF switch on the door from the original Vermont American table, very well designed. The door latches with a brass bullet catch. Just firm enough.

So now you should proceed to the controversy, why can I not do a true Quick and Dirty anymore, someone is to blame….....

Here is the link….....

http://lumberjocks.com/jbertelson/blog/14515
 
#331 ·
Sandpaper.........better than the good old days...........

I was reading a post by Mark about sandpaper, and remembered I was going to blog on a similar item…....
........and so here it is…........

...........being an old gomer, and having a stash of sandpaper from yesteryear, that I bought in some quantity about 15 years ago…...

I thought about the good old days and the good old sandpaper…..........

...........most often, I am using this old sandpaper with…........

.......... my aged, one of these days I am going to club it to death so I can buy a new sander, 1/2 sheet Hitachi orbital sander…......

I have alluded to this before…....what do you do with a fantastic tool that will not die?........

........ and does it job superbly, but does not have the kudos, the penache, the modern sexy allure, the pride of possession engendered by the latest tools….

........with their PSUEDO NIKE TENNIS SHOE STYLE.........

......... and all the hyperbole enveloping them from the mouths of the nubile exponents of the modern marketing machine seducing you to wallow in the sexual splendor of their magnificent, and obvious, proficiency…..

I really don't know what to do. I have outlived the culture that I embraced in my youth.

The Hitachi will obviously outlive me, so I will have to destroy it, to justify a new sander, and enter the new nirvana of woodworking…........
.
.
.
But this is about sandpaper.

So I had a 15 year old piece of Norton (I think it is all made in Canada) sandpaper on the Hitachi, and it very quickly fragmented and failed, just like it has for 15 years.

But I had bought some new Norton 3X sandpaper at Lowe's, seeing the end of my stash.

So I folded and teared a 1/2 sheet as always, but with the new 3X.

......sanding along…....wait a minute. I turned off the sander….......it had already done the job in a flash, I almost overdid it.
.......and I used it over and over again….....

..........Yup, 3 times faster, and it lived, well probably, about 5 times longer….......

Finally something is better than the good old days…..........SANDPAPER….................
 
#351 ·
Two New Totes........Experimenting with MDF

I decided I wanted to work with MDF some more, and test out the router table mods. So I made a couple of totes. Practice for the miter arms for the sled, that I want to be truly buff.

This was an experiment for me, using MDF for the totes.
Finished yesterday, they look and work fine. Dados and glue, no metal in 'em. Finished with my ubiquitous WATCO, medium walnut variety. I suspect I could have made them somewhat smaller in plywood because of the much better integrity of plywood. But I think it would have been nominal, so it worked out fine.

One is for T-handle Allen wrenches that I was overdue in buying.

So here is the T-handle tote, perhaps better described as a tool rack, a permanent place to put them….........



The other is a 15, or was it 20 year overdue redo of a tote that houses tools near my soldering station.

That is also where my magnifying fluorescent light resides. There is a panavise installed there also, and I have multiple jaws for it. So I do precision work, anything that needs magnifying or holding in a small vise, and soldering.

For instance, I ran different wire into the safety switch/plug-in bar that came with the old router table. The old wire was cheap vinyl, although 14 gauge, and quite rigid, and I was running it into a switch box that doubled as a junction box inside the new router table base. I needed to solder things and magnify them, and I held the strip in the panavise as I desoldered, and resoldered the new wire.

So I have some duplicate electrical tools, precision tools, and soldering things in that tote. It is truly a mixed bag. I will probably put some punches of various sorts there also, this weekend, or later. It has a lotta stuff on it, and room for more.

Nothing special…......finger holes to haul it around….....

......and wooden clogs…..not fine Italian shoes…....Dutch wooden shoes…...but made of Oak. So a little class.

And here is the bench tote, built the same as the T-handle tote, just different dimensions. It houses tools for detail work, soldering stuff, and other work…......holds a whole pile of stuff. Standard screw drivers for slot and phillips, a whole retinue of pliers and clippers for electrical, including a first class wire stripper and a brute of a wire cutter. Scissors, miscellanous soldering items…a bunch of small precision screwdrivers…...and still has room for more.

 
#352 ·
I like these!

All my various "dedicated tool" are packed in metal tool boxes/tool belts. There's a belt for the electrical work. A tool box for plumbing and another for the electronics/computer wok. Your totes would make stuff much more accessible.

Lew
 
#364 ·
Birch and Moose.................

I posted this same item in an old post about birches by Don Butler, and thought it was worth reproducing as a blog item. The picture has been used in a very old blog item here before…..............

Moose like birch too….........a picture from my front porch…...



....if you look closely, you will see the peeling bark on this birch, which is pretty typical. Don Butler had posted a picture of a birch that was really exfoliating its bark and wondered what was going on. But if you live among birches, you find it is fairly common.

I burned almost exclusively dead birch trees in my cabin stove near Central (essentially at the arctic circle). Mostly birches, spruce, and alder up there. Moose love the alder and birch for food.

But what brought all this to mind was another moose story…........from yesterday….......

Yesterday I was going around the back of the largest hospital in Alaska, to park where I always do near the obstetrical wards. They have special parking for the docs near labor and delivery. In front of me were three cars and a truck in the lead, who was delivering something, obviously, and hadn't been to the freight dock before and was going slow.

I started mumbling to myself about a traffic jam on the back road. The truck finally turns off, and then the next three yokels do the mistake most people seem to make, braking just as they come to and go over a speed bump, guaranteeing they will get jolted, and making their progress insanely slow. (roll over the speed bumps, no brakes….......pet peeve of mine). So finally the last of the cars gets over the speed bump and move on, so I get to go over the speed bump, and I have only 25 more yards to go, at this time I am getting irritated…......when out from the driveway to my right from behind a maintenance shop marches a moose, and starts ambling down the road at a snail's pace. So I decide I will just have to wait for her to clear the area, now really getting irritated…......when suddenly another moose walks out and gets in line….........and then another moose. So I have three moose ambling down this narrow road in front of me. I mean out for a lazy morning stroll, heading probably for the nearest birch tree to nibble on.

OK, at this point in time, irritated or not, I had to laugh. First it was a traffic jam of cars, now I got a moose jam. You don't try to hurry the moose, because if they get pissed will charge your vehicle kick it and dent it. (if you hit a moose at highway speeds, both you and the moose are likely to die).

So finally after a few more minutes…....I got to my parking lot, and by that time there were about 6 cars behind me…................birches and moose…......staples in the scenery up here…..........
 
#375 ·
One Year LJ Anniversary, Reflections from Paradise...............

Today is my one year anniversary at LJ's…......what follows is discovery, intrigue, reflection, and my usual tomfoolery, set aside 5 minutes of your time….......I guarantee nothing will be serious, the mantra for this post….take it all with the smile that is intended…........

I now know what happens when you have been captured by Lumberjocks…......interned for a full year…....you ascend into paradise!

No it is not addiction, it is internment. "Addiction" is an inadequate description for the reality of the Lumberjocks's experience…......not only have we been captivated and addicted, but more accurately, lets think about it, we cannot break the addiction….we have been captured….....interned for the duration, and after a year we ascend into paradise.

Now the usual format for an anniversary note is the…......'gees thanks for all the friends, good times, help, and camaraderie'.......you know, mush and gush.

But I am not thankful….......... I'm upset! Nobody told me about the rewards that come with seniority and loyality. I might have wondered off to another forum, looking for the ultimate fulfillment, greener grass, funnier jokes…....but not finer girls, you unmarried guys should know the girls are the best right here…........(-: .........did I say that right?

I am going to spill the beans. I am going to show you newbies what you have to look forward to…......

Here I am in LJ paradise, that's where you end up after a year, I know it is so.

This picture is from yesterday:


Me getting relaxed on the lanai….....


OK, I got the rancor off my chest. Except for the clandestine society stuff, paradise and all. Somebody out there want to tell me the secret handshake please…............?

Done with the discovery and intrigue…........so now to the reflection…...........

Yup, one whole year, nearly 1500 posts, I have kinda moved in. For those of you who don't know me, (perhaps you don't want to), I am an anachronism. No projects in one year.

OK, OK, OK, I know. Some of my blog items might called projects.
But I have OCD. The dominant feature of my personality.

When I do a project, there will have to be an aspect of artistry, shock and awe….......

SHAZAM!!!

Sherie will have to beg me to place it in the living room…..........

Everybody understand that?


But I am good at self discovery, introspection….....

......I have devined my purpose in the woodworking world, what I really want to do…...

I love to make shop projects, that enhance my capability, enlarge my horizons…....to help me make more shop projects, that enhance…....etc

......and now for the smaltzy part….

Time to reminisce…..

Hoping to conjure up memories…........a few words, and a few pictures…...........selected from many blog items….

The first item, it kinda defines my personality, and provides some amusement, is about tuning up my tablesaw, and here is my gizmo, lets call him Rube, for obvious reasons:



The following says it all…........

So as long as the digital caliper lives….and it is constantly in use, because remember, I am compulsive…I will have a means, at the expenditure of untold…I AM NOT TELLING!!!!...hours, to check the alignment of the saw and fence that was perfect from the outset and has remained so without checking for 20 years.

I will never learn.

To read the whole humiliating story:

http://lumberjocks.com/jbertelson/blog/11361

Hmmmmmmm…........

My benchtop clampdown downdraft table (Dusty), is in use and performing well:

........a little modern art indiscetion, on a Saturday night:



........and dusty with a graphically altered addition, a smile:



You know, I have noticed. I am not alone. There are a lot of frustrated graphics artists and…........

......well….......children's book illustrators on LJ's…...........

This is a serious addition to the shop:



I declare this the ultimate TS switch…......OK…..my ultimate TS switch…...

.........here is a good starting blog entry on this indulgent overkill for a TS switch….........

http://lumberjocks.com/jbertelson/blog/11761

A whole lot of stuff about sleds and totes in my blog, but here is a picture of Tammy….
......... a love affair with a tote, but this girl does her job perfectly….....



...a link to the story…...

http://lumberjocks.com/jbertelson/blog/12542

And then there is Norton, the shop mascot, who gets referred to occasionally by me and others, one of the fanciest sanding blocks around…..........

Walnut knob, oak mechanics, spalted birch base…..........



Norton is actually in regular use. I have not placed a soft pad on him, he is used to remove bumps and lumps on objects, rather than just for smoothing.

Enough of this stuff, a last item, this is my favorite post for many reasons. The story, the simplistic project from scrap…......

.......and I was in some kind of literary groove…....

Utilitarian Projects #3: Dirty Dancing, and Quick as well- Garden Honey Do

http://lumberjocks.com/jbertelson/blog/16142

.....go read the blog if you haven't….....a couple of minutes….

It starts out…...

Innocently Sherie asked me, while I was in a good mood, yesterday out eating lunch, and this is a for real quote……'Could you cut up a couple of boards for me?'

The Sketchup Plan….....



Finished product in the sun:



Norton and I say thanks to everyone…...

.........of course to Martin who makes it all possible…...

...and to all my friends and buddies who give me a home on the internet…...

Alaska Jim
 
#376 ·
well i had the feeling of what was coming…so i dressed in my tux to read and peruse this fine fine blog and post…to really celebrate the one year mark you should seek out some Hawaiian wood worker and make yourself a Hawaiian jig to be used in Alaska…maybe a palm frawn sander…you know with extended fingers..lol..well Jim i say bravo on a well spoken blog…and certainly congratulations on your one year mark..you have added a wonderful spark to many of us here as we have read and laughed and found you to be a wonderful guy…now comes year two..you know Ive thrown down the gauntlet…and you accepted…the year of the posted project….i cant wait to see how its going to shake and bake the world of lumber jocks….maybe you should acquire some Hawaiian wood….koa …and let it be the project wood of choice…enjoy the rest of your vacation…the cold of Alaska is on its way…ho ho ho….grizzman
 
#397 ·
Work, Stress, and Pain. Listen to your body talk.

Stress Tolerance, Where is the Breaking Point?

Since my work with clients involves dealing with stress, both mental and physical, I have an opportunity to observe and learn from other people's misery.

I have another advantage. I am old. Nearly 70. This allows me to recall experiences that relate to this topic that are unique to aging.

This is an amazingly complex and important topic. I am only going to point out a few observations, to stimulate your own personal introspection, and investigation.

STRESS
I will use the word stress in the most general sense, meaning both physical and mental stress. Stress is the wear and tear, the strain, and the associated discomfort, that results from using the body and mind. When stress increases, or accumulates, we hurt, and if it reaches a critical intensity, we break. Each person's physical and mental stress tolerance is unique. It is a product of a number of factors, many of which we do not control. It changes throughout your life.

WORK
I will use this term to mean both mental and physical effort, whether vocational, avocational, athletic activity, or in the performance of daily tasks of living. We may work in the workshop, on the athletic field, in the kitchen, both for money, enjoyment, and in the management of everyday family life. I will also use the words perform and performance to mean doing work at any task, for money or pleasure.

TOLERANCE
.........There are no 10 year old or 70 year old olympic athletes. Our physique, and its control, has age limits at either extreme.

Each individual has a unique set of PHYSICAL attributes.
We all have physical stress limits. When we try to exceed those limits, our body speaks to us. The body first grows tired, meaning it cannot perform as fast and as well, you make mistakes. And if you keep going, eventually it will exhibit pain (sore muscles, muscle spasm, aching joints, blisters).........and if you still keep going it will break (arthritis, tendonitis, muscle strain, joint separation, stress fractures). Pain is the body's way of saying you may be exceeding safe limits, determined by your unique attributes and conditioning. Pain gets even worse, if you break.

Each individual has a unique set of MENTAL attributes.
We all have mental stress limits. When we try to exceed those limits, our mind speaks to us. The mind first grows tired, meaning it cannot perform as fast and as well, you make mistakes. And if you keep going, eventually it will exhibit pain (headache, twitching eyes, increasong errors, drowsiness, irritability).........and if you still keep going it will break (hallucinations, crying, elevation of blood pressure, asthma, colitis, dermatitis, even stroke and heart attack). Pain is the mind's way of saying you have exceeded its safe limits, determined by your unique attributes and conditioning. Pain gets even worse, if you break (mental breakdown).

What determines tolerance, and how do we know when we are exceeding it?
We learn by experience, and sometimes the advice of others. Physical and mental stress are interrelated and one affects the tolerance of the other. Only experience gives each individual a way to judge his limits. The processes and relationships are too complex for measurement and prediction.

Can we improve, meaning increase, our stress tolerance?
Conditioning, both physical and mental may improve tolerance. Experience improves tolerance. It is stressful to learn something. When we are an expert, a task may be much easier, and less stressful. The reverse is also true, we may lose stress tolerance, if our conditioning lapses, or illness or infirmity has affected our vigor.

What other factors should I be aware of?
We determine safe levels of stress exposure with experience. This can change obviously. But we need to be aware that when we age, especially as we approach our 40's and 50's, there is a downward trend in stress tolerance of all types. You can compensate with experience, wisdom, precision, and timing. But for a given ability, stress tolerance has an irreversible downward trend as adult age increases. If you find you are are having pain or reduced tolerance to a familiar task, as age advances, you need to assume that your safe limits for stress are lower, and you must adjust output….......or you will break.

This is the framework I use to diagnose client symptoms on a daily basis. It sounds like common sense. But many of the injuries I have read about here on LJ's, are the result of forgetting these simple facts.

What is the practical impact of these facts?

1. Most performance is improved with periodic rest times. They also give you a way to measure whether you have reached your stress tolerance for the task. After a rest, if you do not feel like continuing, or you have to force yourself after a rest, then it is best to stop for the day, or a long interval of time.

2. If you detect tiredness or pain, take a rest and analyze the factors in your tolerance, and carefully approach the limits. Getting older, out of shape, too little sleep, etc? Better to quit too soon, than too late, after something breaks.

Jim
 
#398 ·
So true, So true, Jim!

I am glad you included mental activities in your description of work. As a teacher, no one could understand why I would be physically tired at the end of the day when my "work" was not physically demanding.

From personal experience, I can attest that mental stress- exacerbated by emotional attachment can bring on physical ailments.

Lew
 
#413 ·
Progress on the Super Sled…………and the Super-Sizer Panel Sled is finished

I finally got the super sled miter arms done.

I still have to make the guard and a T-track mounted flipping stop block. I really don't see those as being very hard to do.

But I can't work in the shop any more this weekend. I over did it yesterday and worked there again today, and my wrists are complaining. And I have surgery in the morning. So done for the weekend. That is why I know I will never be a heavy hand tool user. Power, any time it makes sense.

So here is the sled, at this point in time, with a example piece of wood on it…....

It has been used quite a bit actually, even without the miter arms. I have a little adjustment work on one side of the fence, which doesn't affect wood less than an inch thick. A warping and aging thing I suspect. Otherwise it is good to go. The fence is totally adjustable and replaceable, it is bolted on only.

Super Sled
Thanks to John Nixon, Patron, a1Jim, Scott Bryan, etc, etc, etc…........a work in progress with the help of my friends….....(-:



And the….........
.
.
Super Sizer Panel Sled, complete with oak trim
.
.
For newbies……..that's what LJ's do…......oak trim on jigs and fixtures,
.
.
.....................so I had to do it too……………(-:

 
#451 ·
Enjoying the simple things.........

This is not everybody's simple thing, but it is mine. Some like the sound of the card scraper or tuning up a plane. I think I might come from another planet or something, I really get pleasure in strange simple things.

Today, I had 30 minutes to spend in the shop, before I went to the office.
The morning was already busy….....surgery, seeing patients in the hospital, etc.

So I did glueups on some partially completed fixtures for my project table, a couple of one foot long fences. Still had a little time, fifteen minutes.

......and then I thought about something that was sticking in my craw. I had known for about a couple months that the left side of the fence for my super sled, was out of perpendicular. Know that I am truly OCD.

Not talking about right angle to the blade, that is fine, but perpendicular to the large flat surface of the sled. So if I put a thick or high piece of wood against that fence, it would then be forced ever so slightly out of right angle to the blade, if it extended over to the left.

I had thought about a simple solution….........and I had fifteen minutes, for real, before I had to leave for the office.

I quickly marked the exact position of the fence, at least on the left side…....

........and here is where the pleasure came in. My super sled fence, has an adjustable and removable fence. Fastened with 6 carriage bolts. I thought about this long and hard when I made that sled.

I loosened the left side three bolts, and in a few minutes, using some number four washers, shimmed that fence to perfection. Using a thin metal ruler and a strong magnet to manipulate then. Took me 10 minutes.

The SuperSled is now….....well…..perfect in my eyes…....you know…......it's a simple thing.

I left for the office with a big smile on my face.

Is it simple things….....or am I a simple man….....

........and does it make any difference…........(-:

Alaska Jim
 
#476 ·
Today I am thankful to be a Lumberjock..............

'Tis Thanksgiving…....gotta be thankful.

Just thinking about my activities today….....well….......a lot of lumberjock influence. It has been a very busy day. Got up at 0500hrs and didn't stop working in the kitchen dining area until 1100hrs. I took off 30 minutes to drink my coffee and check my email. Right now it is a typical Anchorage Thanksgiving….....34 deg, and snow balls are falling from the sky, you know, warm enuf that the flakes clump together.

So what did I do today? Of course, first some family stuff…...er….....flock stuff. Kermit needed his stainless steel palace, you know, the one big enough for the largest of macaws, which he lives on and in much of the day….......cleaned. That took over an hour. It is not a cage, because there has been no door on it for years. Kermit is 20 years old and is very predictable. He is the king of the household, and he has a palace….......and servants, and I am one of them….......(-:

A picture, that will explain the rest of the morning…....taken on the huge granite kitchen island that has a sink, dishwasher and a 6 burner gas stove with oven…......and tends to be piled with a lot of stuff, because it has a lot of space. Who's rule is that?...........stuff expands to fit the available space…........you know the gist of it. The most significant part of the island is the oven, a flaming hot gas oven, giant thing, that…...............cooks the world's best pizza.........made by Sherie….......with the worlds best rolling pin.................................

Wood Hardwood Flooring Powder Wood stain


Behind you see the stained glass French doors leading out on to the porch, where the turkey is now at 102 deg on the grill, as you can see, if you squint, on the remote receiver for the electronic oven thermometer.

Here is the case I made last Thanksgiving for the thermometer, Sherie bought it in an emergency to replace my old meat thermometer, she couldn't find one of the old analog beasts that will survive a pizza oven at a 1000 deg ( well maybe slight exageration by 500 deg or more) so she bought the electronic one….......which is really great….....



.......and the thermometer in the case…..........



I blogged about this last Thanksgiving.

But the important thing to note is…...............my first home made pie crust…....TA DAH.

What brought this to mind was nbeener's newest box, a product of learning from his mistakes on the previous box…....which is a NIGH UNTO PERFECT BOX.................did I say that right Neil…........(-:

Neil comes to mind, because with my original post, he obviously developed a fetish issue with the case and the thermometer…......if he ever comes to Alaska I will place it in my safe deposit box at the bank.

So the implication is…........my next pie crust will be better, it has to be, because I am using the world's greatest rolling pin…...........recognize that one anybody?

Next time I will do what my mother did…....make a double recipe for a single crust so you always have enough, and what remains is made into crust cookies covered with sugar and cinnamon….............

The crust is flaky, tastes good, etc., made with good old fashioned Crisco (in stick form). There wasn't quite enuf to look pretty, but the pumpkin pie is now cooking and looks great.

Now how did I get roped into making a pie crust…........the overall premise is quite reasonable, since those of you who are familiar with Sherie from my other posts…......remember that she has a…........hmmmmmm…....supernatural ability to get her way with me.

We are having a total of 7 people for dinner, including Kermit it is 8. For some reason, everyone seems to buy pre-made pies in this family (not me), and I do believe my mother was a fabulous pie maker in the old tradition. So when I complained about the prospect of store bought pie, Sherie said…....."well I could make the filling…...." whereupon I said, with minimal prompting…......"I will make the crust"

So the pie is nearly done. The turkey, which is filled with stuffing I made from scratch as always, is cooking. I always cook them on the grill (using it as a convection oven), and it is progressing nicely.

So the homemade thermometer box, the special LJ rolling pin, and the pie crust an example of a first effort….....quintesential Lumberjocks….........ain't it?

So I am happy to be a Lumberjock today, with the activities intertwined with my adventures and friends here on LJ's.

Happy Thanksgiving, Lumberjocks…..........hope you have as much to be thankful for as I do….......

Alaska Jim
 

Attachments

#477 ·
Today I am thankful to be a Lumberjock..............

'Tis Thanksgiving…....gotta be thankful.

Just thinking about my activities today….....well….......a lot of lumberjock influence. It has been a very busy day. Got up at 0500hrs and didn't stop working in the kitchen dining area until 1100hrs. I took off 30 minutes to drink my coffee and check my email. Right now it is a typical Anchorage Thanksgiving….....34 deg, and snow balls are falling from the sky, you know, warm enuf that the flakes clump together.

So what did I do today? Of course, first some family stuff…...er….....flock stuff. Kermit needed his stainless steel palace, you know, the one big enough for the largest of macaws, which he lives on and in much of the day….......cleaned. That took over an hour. It is not a cage, because there has been no door on it for years. Kermit is 20 years old and is very predictable. He is the king of the household, and he has a palace….......and servants, and I am one of them….......(-:

A picture, that will explain the rest of the morning…....taken on the huge granite kitchen island that has a sink, dishwasher and a 6 burner gas stove with oven…......and tends to be piled with a lot of stuff, because it has a lot of space. Who's rule is that?...........stuff expands to fit the available space…........you know the gist of it. The most significant part of the island is the oven, a flaming hot gas oven, giant thing, that…...............cooks the world's best pizza.........made by Sherie….......with the worlds best rolling pin.................................

Wood Hardwood Flooring Powder Wood stain


Behind you see the stained glass French doors leading out on to the porch, where the turkey is now at 102 deg on the grill, as you can see, if you squint, on the remote receiver for the electronic oven thermometer.

Here is the case I made last Thanksgiving for the thermometer, Sherie bought it in an emergency to replace my old meat thermometer, she couldn't find one of the old analog beasts that will survive a pizza oven at a 1000 deg ( well maybe slight exageration by 500 deg or more) so she bought the electronic one….......which is really great….....



.......and the thermometer in the case…..........



I blogged about this last Thanksgiving.

But the important thing to note is…...............my first home made pie crust…....TA DAH.

What brought this to mind was nbeener's newest box, a product of learning from his mistakes on the previous box…....which is a NIGH UNTO PERFECT BOX.................did I say that right Neil…........(-:

Neil comes to mind, because with my original post, he obviously developed a fetish issue with the case and the thermometer…......if he ever comes to Alaska I will place it in my safe deposit box at the bank.

So the implication is…........my next pie crust will be better, it has to be, because I am using the world's greatest rolling pin…...........recognize that one anybody?

Next time I will do what my mother did…....make a double recipe for a single crust so you always have enough, and what remains is made into crust cookies covered with sugar and cinnamon….............

The crust is flaky, tastes good, etc., made with good old fashioned Crisco (in stick form). There wasn't quite enuf to look pretty, but the pumpkin pie is now cooking and looks great.

Now how did I get roped into making a pie crust…........the overall premise is quite reasonable, since those of you who are familiar with Sherie from my other posts…......remember that she has a…........hmmmmmm…....supernatural ability to get her way with me.

We are having a total of 7 people for dinner, including Kermit it is 8. For some reason, everyone seems to buy pre-made pies in this family (not me), and I do believe my mother was a fabulous pie maker in the old tradition. So when I complained about the prospect of store bought pie, Sherie said…....."well I could make the filling…...." whereupon I said, with minimal prompting…......"I will make the crust"

So the pie is nearly done. The turkey, which is filled with stuffing I made from scratch as always, is cooking. I always cook them on the grill (using it as a convection oven), and it is progressing nicely.

So the homemade thermometer box, the special LJ rolling pin, and the pie crust an example of a first effort….....quintesential Lumberjocks….........ain't it?

So I am happy to be a Lumberjock today, with the activities intertwined with my adventures and friends here on LJ's.

Happy Thanksgiving, Lumberjocks…..........hope you have as much to be thankful for as I do….......

Alaska Jim
OK, OK, OK…............
Here is the pie cooling…..........see, it turned out alright…...........

Food Tableware Dishware Ingredient Plate
 

Attachments

#513 ·
Some Things are Better Now……….Battery Drills and Drivers…a Drive Buy.

OK, let's be honest, we all do it………the impulse buy, or let's call it a Drive Buy. Much more descriptive. You know, you have been eyeing something, even may have done a little research on what to buy……..but you are Driving your cart down the aisles. Eyes flickering to everything new and shiny, wondering what would fit in your nest, at this point your brain functioning in Crow Mode, you know……birdbrain. Impulse in Command. Feeling good, perchance. Probably pleased the spouse recently, perhaps got a raise, or you're down in the dumps looking for any kind of high."Yup, I may be feelin' worthless, but my credit card still has charm. Let me lay it on you……………"

Actually, in all honesty, I was looking for a reviewed item, by the Fine Woodworking gods……a Porter Cable 12V drill/driver and impact driver combo. They thought it was a great buy. Powerful, light, and reasonably priced……..

……………but wouldn't 18volts be even brighter…….have a little more shine……hmmmmmmmm…….

Really folks, I looked for that PC set in Lowe's, while buying some electrical stuff for my latest and greatest shop endeavor, modular tool carts, project carts, and cabinets. But I didn't find the exact one. I knew that my old friend Makita lurked at the nearby Home Depot store, but…….I was in the aisle at Lowes. I had decided my Dewalt Power Screwdriver was a failed purchase, after about 3 to 4 years. Not enough power, and the battery had to be charged daily. No Dewalt. Porter-Cable……..not a stand out in the battery operated realm. A little dubious.

But there, the new romance in my shop life……Bosch………recent good experience with a router buy. I had confidence. There it was shining to my right……….as I drove the cart down the aisle….needing a Drive Buy.

I picked up the drill/driver…….holstered it and then after appropriate hestitation…. drew it again slickly and smoothly, definitely a kill.

Hmmmmm. Well, really it hefted just like the latest Makita, last purchase before the Dewalt……a Nickel Metal Hydride brute, but it is heavy……and definitely passé.

The impact driver…….I could see those screws and lag bolts succumbing to its manly power. Even more compact…..perhaps would fit in a leg holster, for a last ditch attempt at survival……

While contemplating a rigorous search for the absolute best…..the box found its way into my cart. The Drive Buy. $199.00……….not on sale. More than the reigning FWW PC superduper saver scoop.



But it was 18V, it exuded testosterone, I don't think I deceived myself…….Bosch…….cool stuff………worth more…….pride of ownership. More chrome than the competitors.

The next day…..some pretty inconvenient angles, confined spaces, drove a couple of pilot holes and a couple screws, then a lag screw………a perch for a 4" dust collector tube when not in use. Impressive power. Light weight. Compact. Just great.

Today same thing, drilling holes, very difficult approach. Holes………I just couldn't believe how fast that drill went through ¾" ply, and a piece of metal.

And then I set up the 5/16 inch bolt with the nut in back, with an oversized washer. It was a bad angle for the second one………couldn't see well……the first one went perfectly….and with the second one gave the impact driver a second squeeze couldn't tell if the bolt-nut was tight……and watched a 5/16 inch hex bolt head with an oversized washer behind it sink into and start to destroy the ¾ inch plywood.

Yikes………I had a monster in my hand!!!!!!!!!!

Did I tell you, the drill has an automatic chuck lock so that you can really ratchet down on that drill bit with minimum effort…….wonderful.

I have rarely been so impressed with a tool on initial use……..in this case two of them. I don't know what the long term will bring, but I am optimistic………

……….with my latest Drive Buy……….

By the way, I still haven't read the instructions……….(-:

Bosch 36618 drill/driver
Bosch 25618 impact driver

$199 for the set at Lowe's…………

PS

I have a zillion things to blog about, I am way behind……….but trying to complete some stuff……..

But I knew……out there…….someone……would feel much better that they were not alone……….

……when they do a Drive Buy………

Alaska Jim
 
#540 ·
........when the brain won't work.......do a no brainer.......Worksharp 3000

In recovery from a weekend on call. Actually got my Worksharp 3000 going this afternoon.

Digression…..

I had this tool for over a year….. but never used it. bought it on sale. What LJ would do that?

Me. Special case. My buddies know this. If you are not a buddy, ask them. You still may not understand, but hopefully you will sympathize.

.....off the digression…...

So, a recovering workaholic, spent a few minutes on my current project and realized my brain was in shutdown. No original thinking possible, so forget the project. All my projects are original…...is it because I can't follow instruction???

I know, none of you think I can follow instructions. But you are dead wrong….....

No. I proved it today.

Even I can follow instructions.

So remember, in recovery, brain in shutdown….........

So watched the video on the Workshop 3000…........

.......settle into the recliner, get into the movie mode…...

........now isn't that the American Way….....when you want to relax….......turn on the boob tube….....no thought….other than figuring out how to get the cap off the beer bottle…...is it screw top?......or do I need an opener…..hopefully a screwtop…..'cause don't know where I left the opener'.

Now the popcorn…....shucks…....talk about idiot stuff….......into the microwave…....and push the button that says "Popcorn".

Now why can't the tablesaw gurus fix that…......you know…....push a button for a 3/4" dado…...or dial the blade angle….......push a button…......and let her rip….......come on now….....lets get modern…....

OK, OK, OK…........

Watching the movie, thought about caveats, as I picked hulls out from betwen my teeth…....and washed the detritus down with Alaskan Amber…..........

I can see where people might get bad results. Not that it is difficult, but you don't want to use it without looking at the instructions, which are simple, and well done.

But there is always the Archie type that can't figure out why the axe blade doesn't fit in the chisel port…........and calls the manufacturer with a complaint…....that too is the American Way.

I put the abrasives on the glass wheels, I had 5 abrasives, including two honing abrasives. I have three glass wheels….....think I bought two extras.

.........and the leather honing kit…..and the wide blade adapter…...all waiting for over a year…..to enhance my oh so special tools as they craft the latest creation to be published in Fine Woodworking. Right. In my dreams.

Now shouldn't we do a little self analysis here, where are my hard won dollars going….......well…....the facts are not too pretty…........

I always buy the whole enchilada…don't want to be left without the right attachment…....I suspect the manufacturers should use me in their ads…....compulsive, suggestible, compliant…....and not too critical. Doesn't that sound like Archie?

I took one of my old chisels, the one I use for chipping out glue squeezeout when it is dry. It is an acrylic handled Stanley 3/4", probably about 25 years old. A replacement for a lost 3/4" in a Craftsman set that is 40 years old. Decided I would figure out the new system using a secondary chisel.

Hear pluses and minuses about the Worksharp…....but some fraction of the minuses are probably from not following instructions. I mean, come on guys and gals, can't afford the popcorn and the beer? The rest are probably valid…....it is not the ultimate sharpener, but it's quick and doesn't place any wear and tear on my wrists. I thought it would be a good solution for me, and after using it, I think it is.

So working with this old but cheap chisel I realized that….....when doing the backside…...if you get too close to the hilt it will get rough and gouged. Lesson learned. Don't think I will repeat that.

Doing the bevel…..easy for the guys…..plunge in for one second…....pull out..letting it cool…..hmmmmmm…....plunge back in….....and so forth. Repetition. The American Way.

Learned that if you have a cheap chisel, even with a coarse grit, it takes a long time to make the back flat. I came close, but since I am using it for glue chip out, don't want to get carried away.

I then worked through the grits and honing (only to the first level, let's not get ridiculous on this cheap chisel) on the back and the bevel (I did not put in a micro bevel).

I have a new set of off the wall display from the local industrial hardware store….......cobbled together set…......labeled Sheffield and Longneck, they look identical. I may some day get good chisels, but not essential now.

They replaced the old set, which Sherie thought looked a lot like screwdrivers and used on more than one occasion accordingly.

My sharpened old chisel is definitely the sharpest chisel in the shop. One caveat….....if you start with cheap chisels, better use a real coarse grit method, perhaps a very coarse sheet on a glass or granite sheet, to get it into some degree of flat on the back before starting. That old chisel was not ground well at the factory. You might instead buy some coarser discs and trim them for the Workshop, especially if starting with a cheap chisel.

Otherwise, it was a simple no brainer, follow the instructions, the 3000 was set up with no skew from the factory. Just did what the video said. Couldn't get through all the popcorn…...but finished the beer…...always finish the beer.

Yup, some days you need a no brainer….......especially on those days when you ain't go no brain…......those are the appropriate days for a no brainer…............right….........


So, when the day comes that you ain't got no brain…........well….....

Alaska (no brain today) Jim
 
#541 ·
Hopefully the no brain days are far and few between. I had the same issue related to course grits. I belive worksharp sells a set of paper that has course grit paper, though your method would cost less. If the chisel was real bad I would use a bench grinder….
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top