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A Thousand Posts Later...

7K views 51 replies 34 participants last post by  BritBoxmaker 
#1 ·
Still Having Fun!!

A Thousand Posts!! Not much at all, compared to the more prolific here, but it's somewhat of a landmark for me… I've been reflecting on what my time here has taught me…
I've learned better and faster ways of doing things. The combined skills of the members here on LJ's is unparalleled!! Their willingness to share those skills is truly a breath of fresh air, in what seems an increasingly hostile and unfriendly world…
I've learned that those same people are the absolutely nicest group of people to be found, bar none. I have a theory that the patience required to do woodworking naturally translates into patient individuals. Patient people make good listeners. Those who listen are the lucky ones in this world, they are ever-learning…
I've learned to be very careful with the written word. Without the nuances of facial expression and tone of voice of speech, it's easy to "Say" the wrong thing, or to be taken the wrong way…
I've learned how to Blog!! That sounds silly, but I've been working with wood my whole life but am a relative neophyte to computers. The challenge of telling the story of my journey has been an enjoyable one. Though fraught with learning yet another set of skills, it also led to new discoveries and other challenges. That others have enjoyed my blogs to some measure, is a complete surprise to me… and tremendously appreciated…
I've re-learned that people are the same wherever they're from. We all want the same things in life. A good job with decent pay, a nice place to live, a better future for our children… Not to get political, but it seems like governments and, yes, even religions are what encourage and promote hatred and jealousy on this wonderful World we all share… It's a pity… Humans, as a species, seem to get along fine… until they're told not to…
I've learned that those who greeted me when I joined here were not kidding, Lumberjocks is indeed an addictive place!! I sometimes find myself reading more about woodworking here, than actually doing it!! Is that a good thing? I don't know… On the one hand, my work has improved from what I've learned. On the other, I produce less work… I have to work on that, maintaining a happy balance…
Martin has provided us with a wonderful platform for sharing here, and for that I'd like to thank him, but it's YOU, my Friends, who make this Site what it is!! God Bless You All!! And for Heaven's Sake, Work Safe!! :)
Michael
 
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#2 ·
well aren't you up to good today !
i must say i do enjoy your posts and your positive attitude .

and yes , we are all very fortunate to have found this site ,
and all the great people and encouragement they offer .

have a great rest of posts mike ,
more boxes , more hinges ,
and more flatter boards (LOL) !
 
#5 ·
I have experienced the same as you Mike and I'm also grateful to have met so many nice and helpful people. I always enjoy your projects and blogs. I do think that even though the theme is woodworking there is a huge element of just being social and enjoying each others company, and in fact, as much as I love woodworking, the social part has become even more important to me.
 
#10 ·
Well said and how true about people…............
This is the best site on the internet and it has the best people and you are ONE of them!

Look forward to many thousands more of your posts Mike !
 
#11 ·
Thanks, All!!
I had to go do some "Happy Balancing", between Play and,well…Play!! LOLThe Cherry Box begins...The work continues...
I decided to cut up an old scrap of maple that was underfoot into Spacer Blocks to use to mark the finger joints this time… It worked so well and fast, that I forgot to snap a picture!! Ah well, next time…Spacer BlocksFour Sides up...
 
#14 ·
Mike,
You said it all in just a single blog.
I just read all the comments and they reflect the kindness and goodness of woodworkers in general and this site in particular. I'd like to add my thanks to you, Mike, and to all the wonderful people who understand the heart and mind of a woodworker. You all make this world a better place.
Ellen
 
#18 ·
2K

I guess I'll never challenge for the title of most prolific poster, but I topped the 2,000 plateau recently…
On the occasion of my thousandth I started this series, thinking that it would be easy to write an appraisal, or recap, or summary every thousand posts…
Such is not the case… at least not easily…
Reading the first one over, and the things that I wrote, seems a life-time ago. While much of it still holds true, much has changed…
The site has nearly tripled in size since then, and I often don't have the time (nor the inclination) to "catch-up" with it anymore…
There is also a level of meanness and ill-will here that simply wasn't here then… I usually avoid the political type of discussions, but decided to read a couple just to see "how far" things had gone… the discussions left me feeling almost "dirty" and sad. It is a testament to how well the "powers that be" have divided us, that we are so vigorously consumed with being angry at each other, rather than at those self-same "powers" that cause all the turmoil in the first place…
I'll steer clear of the talk, and try to keep my own life in order I guess… There's little else I can do anyway…

My conditions and circumstances have changed too, of course… dramatically…
But I keep rolling along… Woodworking for me has come in fits and starts. Still enjoyable, but not very much of it…
I'm sure everybody will be shocked, but I've been working on another box…Projects 020Cutting and Fitting top and bottom...

That's about four hours of work, but it was spread over two months…
I've done a few quick fixes too… attaching a turnbuckle to the porch door, to keep it from dragging the floor…Put a Turn-buckle on the Porch Door...

The bathroom door didn't shut and I took it outside and took the circular saw to it… Hollow core doors chip out real bad, especially when they're dry as dust, but it didn't look any worse than it did before, after it was painted… and it closes now…Got the Bathroom Door to closeDoesn't look as bad after a little paint...

Like I said, quick fixes…
Debbie and I have planned on moving from here, into something of our own, and after a false start it looks like we've got a place lined up. That's good, but doesn't start until May 1st, so we're attempting to patiently wait…
At least the Weather is nice… :)The Forsythia in bloom...
 
#19 ·
The journey can be as much fun as the destination! Some things come and go, but I have and still use boxes and shelves trhat I made 25 years ago and I'm still proud of them! (at least they have held up). You should take up whittling….much cheaper than golf and a wonderful way to waste some time, when the weather is so pretty!
 
#38 ·
3K...

At the time of my 1,000 Lumberjock posting, I started this 'blog series' with great enthusiasm, anticipating a long LJ Experience where every !,000th Post would be a retrospective and recapitulation of past postings…
The 2,000th Plateau was more difficult than expected to discuss and/or "celebrate"... Many personal 'Life things' had occurred, and LJ's was also fraught at the time with 'Growing Pains'... There seemed, at that time, to be a lot of in-fighting and the discourse had changed from a type of wonderful camaraderie (a feeling almost like going into a friendly bar, where everybody knew your name) to a petty mean-ness and bickering amongst members… There were some fine People and Woodworkers who left for good back then…

So here it is, another thousand postings later…
Frankly, serious consideration was given to abolishing this particular series… Truth is, I can't seem to find time for the Computer much any more, let alone Lumberjocks… My Inbox has 500+ LJ Notifications, that I mean to "get around to one of these days", but never do… Computer Time has turned into a sort of "Hit & Run" from my Cell Phone, which makes it difficult to write appropriate comments and responses…
I can't even fairly give an assessment of the "State of LJ's" these days, because I'm so seldom on it!
Wood working has slowed to a trickle from this Man's Shop as well, so there is very little to report on or to try to demonstrate…

Nonetheless, Life has been very Good!
I've finally gotten a decent, stable Job, and Debbie and I managed to purchase a House…
Therein goes all my time!
The Job is working mostly nights (and attempting to sleep days)...
Rare and Precious "Free Time" mostly goes into turning our House into 'Our Home'...

The Bedroom refurbishing was achieved first, albeit with very little of interest on a Woodworking site… Besides making 'Plugs' for the holes in the floor, from when the Patron and I moved the Baseboard heating, the only WWing involved was making some brackets to hold a pole to hang clothes on in the closets…
Store-bought brackets were considered, until this one was spotted in the 'Coat Closet' near the front door…


What could be simpler?!
The ones I made are larger… At some point, I'll add some shelves above them and use them to hold the shelves up…


The Bedroom Floor was a challenge only because I wasn't positive on the way to proceed… First, the thought was to Sand the finish off and redo it… But it would have taken months to Sand!
Secondly, I was going to farm the Job out… I found a Guy who does Floors who said that he and his son would be able to Sand It, put a coat of Varnish, and two coats of Poly on , in two days and for $550… A pretty reasonable price, but we still had to come up with the extra cash…
Well, Moving and Settling into a new Home is an expensive proposition, and there turned out to be no "extra cash" forthcoming…
Tried A, and B wasn't going to be fiscally possible for a while… Time to try Plan C…
The Floor wasn't really in that bad shape to begin with, so I simply washed it (scoured actually) and applied new finish right over the old…


Wish that I had opted to do that sooner… Two or three weeks were 'wasted', while we slept in the Living Room, before that decision was reached…
The Bedroom was ultimately finished in early July, and we couldn't be happier with the results…


During the time spent deciding what to do with the Bedroom Floor, the Small Bathroom adjoining it was begun…
We pulled off the Wall Paper but only the top layer came off easily, the backing layer and paste still remained, another check in forward progress…


We went to Lowes (my new Favorite Store) to get a heavier putty knife to facilitate stripping, and my Sweetheart spotted some of this stuff on the shelf…


Great Product!!
A little shot of that on the offending paper and paste, and it came off like butter…
That sped things up, and after some mudding, taping, and sanding, the Paints went on… A couple of small touch-ups left to do, but the Bathroom is now finished too…


The small shelf location by the sink occasioned another bit of Wood working… They were 'impossibly deep', going the full depth of the shower to the wall behind… I made a couple of quick brackets…


And then cut a false wall for the back… Much better and more useful now…


And so I find myself…
Too busy to play, but having the time of my Life!
Next up, a change of gears with some Landscape Work in the Front of the House and probably spending some time 'dressing up' the Front Entrance…
Debbie and I are enjoying the heck out of our Old House… We are Closer and Happier than ever, now that we have a place to call our own! :)

31 August 2015
 
#39 ·
Congratulations, Mike!
Concord calls out to me like an old friend, even though I haven't worked or lived there since 1986. I recall our friendly conversation about the Red Arrow on Chestnut St in Manchester, how I reminisced about that old college hangout, only to have you tell me you worked there!!! It's a small world, after all. Best wishes on your new home!!! Keep us informed of your progress, amigo!!
 
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