# Project 365



## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

*worth 365,000 words?*

New year, new projects and new ways to share. Twitter updates from the computer and phone have already (slightly) increased the activity over at my blog. Now that Christmas is unwrapped, the ghosts of Christmas presents present may reveal themselves without being spoilers. So I finally have fodder, if not the time, for some real posts.

But while you're waiting for projects to be photographed and chronicled into the blogosphere, There is another bit of daily freshness in store. Head over to the blog, and cast your eyes a bit to the right….

I thought about doing a photo a day project last year, but with my old digital camera, the process still amounted to little more than "obligation blogging." However, a mishap with the washing machine, and a new phone later, file sharing has become a one step process from anywhere in the world. In short, I had no excuse not to try.

Will it be all woodworking related? No. But, hopefully things that are inspiring, creative, beautiful, interesting or clever. Life, wood and everything. Day one found me in Boston. Day two, a big pile of super fine wood shavings from a natural log box I'd started.

So, to push myself beyond last years mere 14 entries, I have to get myself out into the shop more. Out in the woods more. Living life more. And thats not a bad resolution, is it?


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

scottb said:


> *worth 365,000 words?*
> 
> New year, new projects and new ways to share. Twitter updates from the computer and phone have already (slightly) increased the activity over at my blog. Now that Christmas is unwrapped, the ghosts of Christmas presents present may reveal themselves without being spoilers. So I finally have fodder, if not the time, for some real posts.
> 
> ...


reflect, set goals, and do our best to meet them… that's a good life strategy.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

*Days 60 and 61*

As often as not, my photo a day project involves me asking my daughter to "do something" cause I need a photo.

Sometimes the best laid plans (of mice and men) do work out, and inspiration appears earlier in the day. Or a sunny day aligns with a warm snap, a couple unplanned days off and a little motivation actually gets me out in the shop.

Motivation. Or would that be cabin fever?

*Day 60:*










Yesterday found me out enjoying time in the shop. Literally. Barely more than hanging out. A smidge of turning - great way to start the month off - followed by a bit of housekeeping. Nothing major, just some nice time soaking up the vibes in the well rested, no longer 42 degree space. Sitting on a stool and looking at the wood, and pondering where stuff could, or should go counts as woodworking, right?

Well, I took advantage of a beautiful day to shovel the snow blocking the garage door and actually open it - and let some warm air in. - after finishing the bamboo plate I started the day prior.

Having spent so much time last spring/summer laying out the shop and making a home for pretty much everything, made it quick and easy to put away months of accumulation and clear out 30 odd gallons of shavings and sawdust on the floor. A treacherous mountain had grown near the lathe, protecting it from all sorts of trouble, including elephant riding invaders!

It's so nice to see the tablesaw unearthed, the drill press is cleared of gourmet hamster bedding and is much easier to access. A small pail full of "very small, but I can probably still find a use for them" bits of hardwood have been gathered from, and thus, freeing up the mitresaw, giving it some elbowroom.
Gonna be great to hit the ground running on upcoming projects!

*Day 61:*

Today, I got to confirm the table saw still works! (For what it's worth. - barely more than a toy, very long in the tooth, only turns on out of habit, and won't turn off. The specter of death is circling…. but for now, today at least. It's alive and (seems to be) kicking.










*Island bound!*
for free!

I really miss the counter space of our old kitchen… acres of it. Despite the fact that most work was done on a 2×3 foot section of it. - we don't even have that much now. Most of our work gets done on our temporary "island." Read rolling (not functioning) dishwasher, and the top of an adjacent chest of drawers.

I've really wanted to upgrade this situation, but as we're in a rental, I don't want to do, or spend, much to alleviate this (hopefully) temporary inconvenience.

Poking around in the shop today, I found this pre-finished piece of oak ply. Perfect width. With enough extra length to make a lower shelf as well. Salvaged balasters from an old reno will flip over to make great legs, and the aforementioned chest of drawers will all make for a nice, easy, functional kitchen island. A temporary fix, that won't look like one!

Big improvement, zero coin.


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## RobS (Aug 11, 2006)

scottb said:


> *Days 60 and 61*
> 
> As often as not, my photo a day project involves me asking my daughter to "do something" cause I need a photo.
> 
> ...


looking good and sounds like a plan on the island ideas… Glad you got some fair weather shop time.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

*62/365*

Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?

< beeline for the shop >

Last item off the lathe was a plate, lets go for a bowl this time. A Butcher Block Bowl - if only for the alliteration.

Ok… now where are those offcuts of maple butcher block anyway?

Cut a piece, roughly 6×1.5, drilled a mounting hole for the scroll chuck and away we go.










Mounted the block, mounted the same forstner bit in the tail stock for ease of flipping and remounting…










Steamy! For a dry piece of stock, the bit generated a lot of heat, and threw off a surprising amount of moisture. Look at that discoloration!










This block caused a fair amount of vibration. So to that end, and to save a little time and wear on my chisels, I removed the block, cut off the corners, remounted and got turning. Much more stable.










Bottom turned. Only had to sharpen the chisels twice. WAY more forgiving than the bamboo was the other day. Ready to flip and hollow out the inside… When the sun comes back up. It still is winter in the garage afterall.










No sanding yet. I managed to turn off all the rough spots. A first for me. One of the reasons I'm not normally fond of turning maple. Another reason to quit while I'm ahead, and finish in the morning. (or whenever tomorrow's peak temp is.)


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## sedcokid (Jul 19, 2008)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


Scott, What a great project, I like the shape of the exterior of the bowl and am anxious to see how it all finishes up.

Thanks for sharing…


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


you have a nice shape going there. thats a pretty piece of wood.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


Very nice Scott. Now where are mine :>)


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## amateur (Feb 15, 2011)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


I turned a butcher block bowl one time, it didn't turn out so good. You've inspired me to try again.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


@Karson… sitting on a shelf, mocking me…

but it looks like a nice day so far, we'll see what happens


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


@Karson…

finally got up the nerve to start turning those old (dusty) glue ups!
pardon the cell phone pic, 


glad to say, they've survived the move from the old house. (so far)


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

scottb said:


> *62/365*
> 
> Sitting by the computer afterwork, wondering what I should get a photo of today. Wait a minute, is that still daylight out?
> 
> ...


Lookin Good.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

*days 63 & 64, camera phones eye view*

Pardon the sometimes slightly out of focus glimpse of these little, teeny tiny bowls coming to life. It probably has more to do with the coating of dust on my face shield than all them mega pixels crammed into my pocket. (Which out snaps my first TWO digital cameras.)..

Anywho, our fellow lumberjock Karson sent me a lovely box-o-wood, and asked if I'd turn out a couple of cousins of this little beauty:



We'd both figured these would come up as projects in my "next" proverbial 30 projects in 30 days challenge. But lo, packing up house and shop, moving, unpacking, and opening up my mind to the changes, opportunities and differences of going from a low basement to a garage space kinda filled my dance card for more weekends than I care to admit. (That and a 55 - 60 degree basement was a far cry more conducive to winter woodworking than a sub 40 degree outbuilding.) Anyhow, sunlight is getting noticably longer. Snow seems to be melting, and the work crunch that killed my fall, has transitioned into free time this winter.

Ok, all that said (which should have been saved for the final project post or,.. whatever….)

It took me a bit of time to get back into the headspace that created the first of my mini bowls - MUCH smaller than a ramekin. And in true Lumberjock fashion, I spent that "leaning curve time" on the actual project itself.

I had already glued up the blanks for these bowls, two different "5 layer sandwiches" three stripes of Cherry & Walnut or Yellowheart & Pink Ivory between the "bread" of some lovely maple burl.

First up, was to glue the block onto a sacrificial backer block. Superglue makes quick work, and if you turn the outside, with the tail stock applying clamping pressure, you don't even need to wait for the glue to dry to get it from square to round…










Give it a little time before you back off the pressure to finish the bottom.










Turned. Sanded. Ok now to flip.

How did I recenter the previous bowl? It was attached to a glue block, that I remember. It's too small for the scroll chuck…

< think, think, think >

OH! I remember. I turned the inside AND outside of the bowl with only the foot mounted to the glue block. Backwards, in a way, but quick and easy. NO FLIPPING!

Hmmm… < think, think, think. >

Voila. Attach another glue block on the tail side, before I remove the bowl. and turn that down to a tenon to recenter it from.










then flip










and hollow,










pop it off, and sand the bottom clean.










Done.

next to a 3/4 inch chisel for scale










Ok, that worked, but was several steps longer than it needed to be.

So I grabbed the next block, and decided to see how much easier things would go for the next bowl.










a couple minutes later, including resharpening my chisels and a bit of sanding, the outside was done, and I was ready to turn the middle. Much better.

*UNTIL…* < insert dramaitic sound effect >

The glue holding the glued-up glue block (that lasted several previous turning sessions) gave up, right about the time my toes did. (Despite the heater, and fleece socks, they were finally succumbing to the cold.)

Luckily the bowl skidded across the floor about as carefully as it could have. Phew. As if by magic, no harm done.

Interestingly, the minutes old glue line held just fine. Sometimes super glue is super. Sometimes not so much.

So, I remounted the bowl (and its attached block to the bigger block), and chose to wait until today to finish turning the inside of teeny tiny bowl #2. Maple Burl, Yellow Heart and Pink Ivory. Here it is just prior to parting off, and sanding the bottom. The glue lines held perfectly. Not even a whimper.










Super, don'tcha think?

Now, to take out the real camera, tripod and MACRO setting to get some good project pix.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

scottb said:


> *days 63 & 64, camera phones eye view*
> 
> Pardon the sometimes slightly out of focus glimpse of these little, teeny tiny bowls coming to life. It probably has more to do with the coating of dust on my face shield than all them mega pixels crammed into my pocket. (Which out snaps my first TWO digital cameras.)..
> 
> ...


Cool. Very nice Scott.

I knew I could shame you into making them if I tried.

All those stories about needing time for yourself were all man made Xcuses.

You are da man.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

scottb said:


> *days 63 & 64, camera phones eye view*
> 
> Pardon the sometimes slightly out of focus glimpse of these little, teeny tiny bowls coming to life. It probably has more to do with the coating of dust on my face shield than all them mega pixels crammed into my pocket. (Which out snaps my first TWO digital cameras.)..
> 
> ...


Oh, no shame. They've been staring me down. Taunting me. (Ok, so lotsa shame.)

I'll have those out in the mail this week, after I get some pix for the proper project posts. I think I still have your addy on the box. I'll send you a PM if I can't find it.


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