# Starting My Business



## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*Building up Inventory*

It's 12:30 AM and I am up with my 9 year old who has his very first experience with the stomach flu. Poor kid has only missed 3 days of school in his life. When he called today and asked to come home I was out the door in 30 seconds. I figured if he was asking to come home it must be something serious.

Alright so here we go!

After finally getting my Shop up and running it is time to see if I can pay for my hobby by selling the stuff I make.

I have registered the website and have purchased a basic commerce site template from GoDaddy.com. If things go well my neighbor is going to build me a kick ass website. He is just finishing up his degree in Digital Media and is building his portfolio. Will end up being a…... Yep Win-Win. He also has a full photo studio setup and has offered to photograph all my projects.

So next thing I need is some inventory to fill up my website. To start with this site is going to be a place for locals to see my products and select the product they want. I have access to a large group of affluent clientel and really just need a place for them to go to and pick out what they want. This will also give me a place to capture their contact information for my newsletter.

First products are going to be Cutting Boards and Utilitarian Bowls. They are both low cost and extremely popular items. I constantly have people asking me to purchase both but haven't had the inventory to keep up with the demand. But that is about to change!

I purchased a bunch of rough Hard Maple last summer and still had 30 bf left. I hit my local hardwood supplier last week and picked up 12 bf each of walnut, Jatoba, & Purple Heart.

Today I finished up the 5 cutting boards I have been working on and finally got a chance to start preparing the stock for my next batch. I am not sure how many cutting boards I will get out of 60 BF of lumber but I am guessing it's more than 5. The Maple sucks though, I will probably only get between 70%-80% usable wood out of it.

He he he I got to go to town on my Olicer 8" Jointer! I decided to use the HSS knives for this project to save wear on my brand new Helix head cutter that will be arriving within a few days. Found a steal on eBay and got the Shelix cutter head for only $175 brand new!!! Factory price is $340 so I made out like a bandit!

Here are some picture of what my shop looks like now. The boards standing on end are Ash & Poplar for a Bookcase and Blanket chest I am also building.










Here is view of just the cutting board wood, they are cut into 3 foot lengths










I also unloaded some more wood for turning. So far I have Ash, Sycamore, Walnut, Cheery, Maple, and Oak logs drying out in the yard. My lovely wife absolutely loves that she has lost her garage and her back yard is now storage for random logs! This is only a portion of what I have gathered over the past few months. I gave away two full size truckloads to a family we know that needs to heat their home next winter far more than I need to make bowls. 90% of firewood around here is fir so two truckloads of hardwoods is a real treat.

There is half an Ash tree off to the left but not in the picture.










And finally a picture of Grady, our Boston Terrier. He is always prepared for game of chase to break out. He didn't like that I took the picture instead of playing with him. He gets annoyed if anyone does anything other than giving him some love!










Thanks for checking out my Blog. I hope some of you will be able to follow along with my progress!

Chris

www.chris-crafts.com Coming Soon to an Interweb near you!!!!


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## wwbeds (Jul 1, 2007)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Building up Inventory*
> 
> It's 12:30 AM and I am up with my 9 year old who has his very first experience with the stomach flu. Poor kid has only missed 3 days of school in his life. When he called today and asked to come home I was out the door in 30 seconds. I figured if he was asking to come home it must be something serious.
> 
> ...


Good luck on everything.


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## ratchet (Jan 12, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Building up Inventory*
> 
> It's 12:30 AM and I am up with my 9 year old who has his very first experience with the stomach flu. Poor kid has only missed 3 days of school in his life. When he called today and asked to come home I was out the door in 30 seconds. I figured if he was asking to come home it must be something serious.
> 
> ...


Excellent start. I'm looking forward to seeing your site and finished products.


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## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Building up Inventory*
> 
> It's 12:30 AM and I am up with my 9 year old who has his very first experience with the stomach flu. Poor kid has only missed 3 days of school in his life. When he called today and asked to come home I was out the door in 30 seconds. I figured if he was asking to come home it must be something serious.
> 
> ...


I see Gray guarding that valuable lumber!

I also some striped boards in the first picture under those gloves.

Well get those finish products and the web site ready. It looks like you have a good plan.

Good luck!


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*

Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.

I would love to make fire bricks for the local Boy Scout Troop but have no clue how to do that. Maybe a mixture of gasoline, orange juice, and wood shavings would make something interesting 

So what do you do with your wood shavings/dust collectionings??


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## seriousturtle (Apr 13, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


I have a friend with a horse farm. Saves him money and makes me feel good.


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


What does he do with it on his horse farm?? There are lots of them around where I live. I know a couple of my boys classmates have horses on their acreages that came with their million dollar mansions. As opposed to my 15 square foot backyard that came with my significantly less expensive home.


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## dakremer (Dec 8, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


If there's any *walnut* shavings at all in the bag you can not use it anywhere near horses (or probably any other animal of the sorts). Walnut can be deadly to these animals


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## SplashMaster (Jul 26, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


Shavings are use in horse stalls as beding for them to lay on and keep the place smelling nice they also can be use for other animals as well


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## Rustic (Jul 21, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...




Here is a link to a project posted by a lumberjock to make firestarters.


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## kenn (Mar 19, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


My township has a recycling center where they grind up limbs, compost leaves and grass clippings … and my shavings into compost for residents.


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## rkoorman (Sep 1, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


A friend with a lot of horses picks it up ones a week.


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## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


If you want to make fire starters and your shavings are too large, use the wife's food processor to grind them down. You might want to try this when she is out of the house. (grin)


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


Sometimes I'll use my shavings in the finishing process.
I wad a ball of shavings and use them to hand-rub the wood after final planing, before I apply the finish.


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *What do you do with your Wood Shavings??*
> 
> Between the Lathe & Jointer I seem to fill up my Jet DC-1200 every 2-3 weeks. So far I have used it as mulch in my backyard and for some friends. But now I have run out of room to mulch & just filled another bag.
> 
> ...


I use them to control the weeds between the raised gardens in the back yard. If/when weeds do appear they are dead easy to pull from the sawdust as it is not a real good structural support for the plants, so it makes weeding the paths easy and it also aids in water retention in the soil. I am thinking of putting it between the planted rows as well for the same reasons…I am a bit concerned that it may reduce the nitrogen content of the soil over time, but I think a bit of 'aged' cow manure should alleviate any nitrogen deficiencies.

Of course if I use any walnut I'll have to reconsider its use in the vegetable garden as weed control as the chemical content of walnut that dakremer was referring to is also harmful to plants.


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*

In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.

Attempting to keep some sort of order in the manufacturing process. I have cut most the boards down to 1"- 3" strips anywhere from 2'-4' long. I then glue like strips together. So far I have 6 of laminated boards. Later on, once I laminated all of my stock, I will begin the crosscutting and re-laminating process. Then all the boards will take a dip in Walnut oil. Then I will buff them out with some wax so they will be nice for show.

Below are some pictures of the stock I have milled. All of this and I haven't even touched the 300 BF of Madrone I just picked up.


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## HalDougherty (Jul 15, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


I feel your pain… I carve laminated gunstocks, so my shop is a progression of logs, stacks of air drying lumber, stacks of dried lumber, blanks cut into 1", 1/2", and 1/4" strips, glued up blanks and finished stocks. I need a bigger shop!


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## sedcokid (Jul 19, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


Chris, 
I wish you well on your vensure…. What a cach of wood, Wow!! Looks like some great turning spindles in there 

Thanks for sharing


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## Toolz (Feb 26, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


Chris, looking good. You might want to reconsider the Walnut oil. Too many folks have nut allergies and that could result in decreased sales. Mineral oil and wax (especially beeswax) might be a better alternative. Best wishes. Larry


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


Wow! Now I understand why you asked what to do with your wood shavings!!

Lew


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


Yep, I fill a 55 gallon bag with wood shavings at least once a week.

I did a great deal of research and testing and Mineral Oil & Wax are far inferior to the method I use. I am not going to make an inferior product to satisfy a very small percentage of potential customers. Almost all of the boards contain walnut wood anyway so that will eliminate all of the people who are hyper sensitive about nuts. One thing I have learned in life is not to shape my life choices around the current beliefs of the "Mob". The "Mob" used to mix Iodine with Mineral Oil and sit in the sun for hours, while smoking cigarettes, attempting to get a deep dark tan.

For rational folks, I can let them know that the walnut oil I use has been purified through a triple boiling process which eliminates 99.9% of the allergens in Walnut Oil. So the odds are very low of an issue arising from contact with hardened walnut oil. I am not gonna even try to educate those who have already made up their minds. I try to limit the time spent banging my head against the wall. My literature will clearly state that my products contain walnut oil and/or walnut wood.

If you disagree that is your right. But please respect my right to my opinions, however wrong or misguided you believe them to be. I have no desire to get into a debate with anyone on this site. I am simply using my blog to share my experiences.


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## Allanwoodworks (Aug 15, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


Very nice Chris, That is alot of milling and glue ups! Dont forget to watch the hydro's tomorrow at seafair.


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


You seem to have researched your choices… well done… and have fun with the milling…


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


It's quite a site to see all of those different woods. Good luck on your boards.


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## dbray45 (Oct 19, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *and I am milling, and I am milling, milling, and milling*
> 
> In my never ending quest to make 250 end grain cutting boards, I find myself milling quite a bit of stock.
> 
> ...


The day that it all ships out will feel great.


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*Climatized*

79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.

I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


I dont think it got below 78 here .


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


It was 99 here today and I am glad glad glad my shop has a window a/c unit.


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


It was 34C yesterday,which is about 93F. We've had a stretch of 30+ weather last several days and more to come according to the weather folks. Mind you it was a nice 27 today, it actually felt 'cool' after the last several days


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## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


Enjoy the picture taking session and the heat too


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


Mid twenties here.. celsius that is… just about the end of winter..still have not had to wear a jumper or jacket…


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## SSMDad (Apr 17, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


I sure do miss Seattle. Lucky you!


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


We were thrilled last week when it finally dropped below 100.
Very little humidity though-sort of like an oven


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## Pimzedd (Jan 22, 2007)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Climatized*
> 
> 79 degrees in Seattle today and I can't move. LOL I know I know it's 128 with 98% humidity where you live. But hey we have only had 3 days over 80 so far this summer so my big fat belly and me are not used to the heat. My shop has full southern exposure so it heats up like crazy. Well this can only last for a few more days.
> 
> I am having some of my bowls professionally photographed on Saturday! I am hoping it is cool enough to turn 2 or 3 more by then….


Lucky you. In parts of Texas, we have not seen 79 in a couple of months. I just saw the forecast on the Weather Channel, the coolest it is expected to be in the next week is 80!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*The Sweet Smell of Sappy Cherry*

Last weekend I picked up a good size Cherry tree for cheap. 2/3 of it is going to the lathe and the remaining 8 foot section is going to be slabbed up for tables & such.

This gave me the opportunity to make my first bowl blanks. I have had about 2 cords in the back 40 (sq feet) for the past 6-9 months. I hadn't cut any of it up yet, and it was started to wear thin on the wife's patience.

Now my whole shop reeks of Cheap Black Cherry Soda. The Cherry was cut down in early spring and it is dripping Cherry Extract.










The size has been perfect so far. I have gotten anywhere from 8×8x4 to 12×12x5 bowl blanks.

To begin with I tried using old candle wax to seal the blanks. While it worked great, the mess and headache it caused wasn't worth it. Yeah, so I shouldn't have used the wife's $600 set of Calphalon pans to make a double boiler and melt the wax in. Plus the wax I got all over the counters, floor, and stove, scraped right off, eventually.

The plus was, she didn't blink and eye when I went out yesterday to buy some Anchor Seal, LOL. Ya know you shrink 1 cashmere sweater and your never allowed in the laundry room again. 

So here is two short days work making up blanks. I have a ton more to do but there is no hurry. I am going to keep doing other stuff and slowly work through the logs I have seasoning in the back 40. The nice thing is, there is some nice spalting or something going on in the Sycamore I have had seasoning. It is the lacy white but there are swirls of blue & black starting to develop.

Now I just have to figure out how long it will take for that Black Cherry Extract to dissipate.


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## TexPenn (Apr 21, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *The Sweet Smell of Sappy Cherry*
> 
> Last weekend I picked up a good size Cherry tree for cheap. 2/3 of it is going to the lathe and the remaining 8 foot section is going to be slabbed up for tables & such.
> 
> ...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANCHORSEAL-2-END-GRAIN-SEALER-/250883082451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a69cc08d3
This stuff is worth its weight in gold & will keep you out of trouble. 
good luck, Ted


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *The Sweet Smell of Sappy Cherry*
> 
> Last weekend I picked up a good size Cherry tree for cheap. 2/3 of it is going to the lathe and the remaining 8 foot section is going to be slabbed up for tables & such.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I used that Anchor Seal 2 on the blanks I sealed yesterday. Much easier and not near the mess!


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*Sappy MOLDY Cherry*

Last time, At The Workshop, I was making bowl blanks out of some Sappy Cherry I had acquired. I had covered some with old candle wax and some with Anchor Seal. I painted on the Anchor Seal and Tossed it all in a pile. I also snapped my 3/4" Re-saw Blade at the weld. A couple days later I got really sick. As the week went on my head blew up like a balloon to the point that I couldn't breath and was popping Benadryl and Sudafed 12 hour like candy.

Yesterday I realized it wasn't a cold, it was the Wood!!! When it comes to Wood Mold and Mildew allergies I am a 200 on a scale of 1-10. Yep the guy who's Dad was a VP at Coleman and grew up Camping every weekend is deathly allergic to the mold and mildew that grows prolifically in every Forrest in the world. Which explains why I was constantly sick as a child.

Here are some pics of what the blanks looked like after I sprayed them down with 409. I don't know if 409 is the optimum Mold remover but it is what I had on hand so it is what I used. So I sprayed the 409 all over the wood and left it on my driveway. Living in Seattle isn't going to help any as the Seattle Drizzle has set in for the year.

Any suggestions on preventing this in the future????? I just put armor seal on 6 more blanks. I have them spread out with better ventilation this time. I am hoping it I let them completely dry before stacking them I won't get the "Petri Dish" Effect. I think the sweet Sap in the Cherry is making it worse. It has attracted the Fruit Flies like mad.


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## amagineer (Apr 16, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Sappy MOLDY Cherry*
> 
> Last time, At The Workshop, I was making bowl blanks out of some Sappy Cherry I had acquired. I had covered some with old candle wax and some with Anchor Seal. I painted on the Anchor Seal and Tossed it all in a pile. I also snapped my 3/4" Re-saw Blade at the weld. A couple days later I got really sick. As the week went on my head blew up like a balloon to the point that I couldn't breath and was popping Benadryl and Sudafed 12 hour like candy.
> 
> ...


You need to keep the moisture down where the wood is stored. I use a dehumidifier about once a week, which helps. Good luck.


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Sappy MOLDY Cherry*
> 
> Last time, At The Workshop, I was making bowl blanks out of some Sappy Cherry I had acquired. I had covered some with old candle wax and some with Anchor Seal. I painted on the Anchor Seal and Tossed it all in a pile. I also snapped my 3/4" Re-saw Blade at the weld. A couple days later I got really sick. As the week went on my head blew up like a balloon to the point that I couldn't breath and was popping Benadryl and Sudafed 12 hour like candy.
> 
> ...


Get a high quality dust mask, it will pay for itself in the long run and cause less problems. Get one that filters air.


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Sappy MOLDY Cherry*
> 
> Last time, At The Workshop, I was making bowl blanks out of some Sappy Cherry I had acquired. I had covered some with old candle wax and some with Anchor Seal. I painted on the Anchor Seal and Tossed it all in a pile. I also snapped my 3/4" Re-saw Blade at the weld. A couple days later I got really sick. As the week went on my head blew up like a balloon to the point that I couldn't breath and was popping Benadryl and Sudafed 12 hour like candy.
> 
> ...


I have and use a Trend Face Shield. The Mold actually filled my house as my "Shop" is my garage.

Thanks for the idea on the dehumidifier. That is a great idea and something I will pick up soon.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Sappy MOLDY Cherry*
> 
> Last time, At The Workshop, I was making bowl blanks out of some Sappy Cherry I had acquired. I had covered some with old candle wax and some with Anchor Seal. I painted on the Anchor Seal and Tossed it all in a pile. I also snapped my 3/4" Re-saw Blade at the weld. A couple days later I got really sick. As the week went on my head blew up like a balloon to the point that I couldn't breath and was popping Benadryl and Sudafed 12 hour like candy.
> 
> ...


I was helping a friend who has a garage heater, sand some red oak and my eyes were starting to water. Didn't happen when we did this with the doors open and no heat.

I have read a bunch about wood dust and air filtration. I'm guessing you have pretty high humidity? I'm guesing the commercial cleaner took off the surface mold? You might check out a home remidies page for less expensive alternatives. Vinegar is cheaper? might do a test piece?

An air filtration machine for the shop can remove particles might even help w the mold as it dries? Maybe a fresh air exchanger to keep fresh air, hopefully breathable, moving through your work area.


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*How I Finish Bowls*

I have had several requests from LJ's to know how I finish my Bowls. The walnut Bowl at the bottom is proof that what I do works.

It has taken a great amount of experimenting to get to this pint, but I finally have a complete finishing process! I have researched this topic endlessly and it seems that no one wants to part with the secret. So here is what I have come up with. It is bits & pieces taken from blogs, videos, magazines, & books all authored by some of the most famous turners out there.

I will readily admit that the process is over the top & there are redundant steps. Feel free to take what you like from the process and create a process that works for you.

*DISCLAIMER*

I don't want this to turn into a discussion on the food safeness of finishes. I feel confident in what I use & have spent enough time & effort to have made a very well educated decision on this. If you only want to use mineral oil, that is completely your prerogative. I really really really don't care what you choose to use. I am serious I can't emphasize how very little I care about your opinion on what is food safe. Feel free to Write you own blog on the subject! Some moron will still post a reply about how he has used mineral oil for 157 years without issue. But mineral oil is NOT a finish, it does not dry or harden.

*The Process*

Power Sand using wave gold paper from Performance Abrasives 80,100,120,150,180,220,320,400,600,800

I then power buff with Abrolon Discs 2,000 & 4,000

For the finish I use 1 of several finishes depending on the wood & the potential use.

*BLO *for figured maple as it helps the grain pop

*Danish Oil* for Walnut & cherry that is likely to only hold dry goods like nuts or fruit

*Walnut Oil or Salad Bowl Finish* for Salad Bowls or serving platters

I apply 4-5 coats of finish with the piece still on the lathe. Burnishing with a paper towel in between each coat. Except when using Salad Bowl finish, it dries to quickly to burnish.

I picked up the Beall System from Wood Tuner's Catalog, I got the 3" Buffs & the Long Buffing Adapter . I have used the system on 7 bowls so far and really like the outcome. I use all 3 buffs, 1 Red Rouge, 1 white Diamond, & the last coat is Carnuba Wax.

Getting the Carnuba Wax on evenly has been difficult so far. It also really highlights even the smallest amount of tear out left on the bowl. But then again, I am the harshest critic of my work. Even the smallest imperfection drives me nuts. I have made funnels out of more bowls by repeatedly taking 1 Last light cut, or re-sanding to remove that 1 little spot of tear out, all just to get it perfect.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *How I Finish Bowls*
> 
> I have had several requests from LJ's to know how I finish my Bowls. The walnut Bowl at the bottom is proof that what I do works.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this information. I hope I can do half as nice as you have , on my next bowl. I can never get all of the tear out completely sanded out.


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## woodcrafter47 (Nov 24, 2009)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *How I Finish Bowls*
> 
> I have had several requests from LJ's to know how I finish my Bowls. The walnut Bowl at the bottom is proof that what I do works.
> 
> ...


Walnut oil and bees wax on the lathe is what I use. Very nice bowl and it finish. thanks for this post


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## kmh2412 (Feb 8, 2012)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *How I Finish Bowls*
> 
> I have had several requests from LJ's to know how I finish my Bowls. The walnut Bowl at the bottom is proof that what I do works.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the post I like seeing how other people like to finish their projects. The walnut bowl is beautiful.


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *How I Finish Bowls*
> 
> I have had several requests from LJ's to know how I finish my Bowls. The walnut Bowl at the bottom is proof that what I do works.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. What brand of salad bowl finish are you using?
I used general's SBF for the first time on these bowls.
It is almost too shiny for my taste.

Great work on that bowl.


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## ChrisCrafts (Apr 28, 2011)

*Well, I have done it Now!*

As I have ventured into this life after 20 years in the Corporate World I have found myself drawn in a certain direction. The more I work with wood the more my creative juices flow. I initially started with the idea of making small handcrafted items that would be popular at a Christmas Bazaar or a Charity Auction. Much of this hasn't kept my interest. Turning has been fun and that is something I will continue to do. But, still, I have all these ideas in my head for furniture I would love to build, chairs, tables and such. I can design them in Sketch up with ease, but when it comes down to building my design, I simple don't have the skills & knowledge.

Having no formal woodworking training I often find that I am completely out of my depth. While many guys were taking Shop Classes in Jr High & High School, I was taking computer and business courses. I am glad I did as that knowledge has served me very well over the years. So I have set out to learn woodworking from a knowledge point of zero. I have learned a ton over the past few years from sites like this and several books. But in the end there is nothing like formal education.

I first looked at taking a few week long courses at my local Woodcraft Store. Great stuff available, for $1200 a week! I signed up for a few and was planning to take them this summer. But then I remembered Seattle Central Community College a Wooden Boat Building program & some other classes. I looked it up and found they had a complete degree in Cabinet Making and Fine Woodworking!

This past Wednesday I went in for a tour. I was in for a real treat. Not only do they have an amazing program, they are moving into a brand new custom built building this summer! The program itself is 5 quarters or core classes. Longer if I want to get an AA, which I probably will. Class is Mon-Thurs 8-4 so there is a ton of instruction time. But it is also somewhat self paced which is an absolute necessity because of my bad hips, leg, and back.

So I got all signed up to start next fall. Being on disability I have the time to attend classes. Because of the curriculum, I can go to school without breaking my physical restrictions. I am extremely excited to say the least! There are 4-5 main projects that everyone must complete. From what they said most folks finish a quarter or two early and have the remaining time to work on independent projects & learn skills they desire. I got to see quite a few of the projects past students have done. They were all really well done.

So there we go. I finally decided what to do when I grow up! I am going to make find customer furniture, some day…...


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Well, I have done it Now!*
> 
> As I have ventured into this life after 20 years in the Corporate World I have found myself drawn in a certain direction. The more I work with wood the more my creative juices flow. I initially started with the idea of making small handcrafted items that would be popular at a Christmas Bazaar or a Charity Auction. Much of this hasn't kept my interest. Turning has been fun and that is something I will continue to do. But, still, I have all these ideas in my head for furniture I would love to build, chairs, tables and such. I can design them in Sketch up with ease, but when it comes down to building my design, I simple don't have the skills & knowledge.
> 
> ...


Chris,
what a fantastic opportunity.

With your attitude your going to do well

Good luck and ENJOY

Jamie


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Well, I have done it Now!*
> 
> As I have ventured into this life after 20 years in the Corporate World I have found myself drawn in a certain direction. The more I work with wood the more my creative juices flow. I initially started with the idea of making small handcrafted items that would be popular at a Christmas Bazaar or a Charity Auction. Much of this hasn't kept my interest. Turning has been fun and that is something I will continue to do. But, still, I have all these ideas in my head for furniture I would love to build, chairs, tables and such. I can design them in Sketch up with ease, but when it comes down to building my design, I simple don't have the skills & knowledge.
> 
> ...


Well, congratulations, Chris, it sounds exciting and I certainly hope that it all works out well for you. Keep us posted.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

ChrisCrafts said:


> *Well, I have done it Now!*
> 
> As I have ventured into this life after 20 years in the Corporate World I have found myself drawn in a certain direction. The more I work with wood the more my creative juices flow. I initially started with the idea of making small handcrafted items that would be popular at a Christmas Bazaar or a Charity Auction. Much of this hasn't kept my interest. Turning has been fun and that is something I will continue to do. But, still, I have all these ideas in my head for furniture I would love to build, chairs, tables and such. I can design them in Sketch up with ease, but when it comes down to building my design, I simple don't have the skills & knowledge.
> 
> ...


Congrats, Chris!

The only thing I've figured out for what I want to be when I grow up is- taller!


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